Kin Gin's roasted sweet potato crème brûlée

Noah Fecks

Roasted sweet potato crème brulee

Name: Roasted sweet potato crème brulee
Prep time: 15 s
Cook time: 85 s
Total time: 100 s
Yield: 1
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: Sweet potatoes skin on; Crème brûlée base; Granulated sugar for bruleeing; Heavy cream; Granulated sugar; Fresh vanilla bean; Egg yolks; White miso

11 Jul 2024

Anthony Inn

Chef

Difficulty

Intermediate

Total Time

1H 40MIN

Cuisine

Japanese

Taiwanese

Ingredients

Sweet potatoes, skin on: 8 12 oz (or 340g)

Crème brûlée base

Granulated sugar for bruleeing

Heavy cream: 1 quart/947g

Granulated sugar: 1.2 cups/236g

Fresh vanilla bean: 1

Egg yolks: 6

White miso: 1 oz/10g

A simple but clever rendition of crème brûlée, served at Kin Gin on New York City’s Lower East Side.

Executive Chef Anthony Inn (previously of Masa and Morimoto NYC) is the mastermind behind this stunningly simple dessert at Kin Gin in New York. ‘Kin Gin’ means ‘gold and silver,’ an apt name for the sleek izakaya. The recipe for Inn’s sweet potato crème brulee is imbued with nostalgia, as he grew up in Taipei and has family still scattered in Taiwan and Japan. He tried a similar sweet potato on a trip to visit relatives years ago and “and it was always etched in the back of my mind,” he says.

01.

How to make sweet potato crème brulee

Wash and clean the sweet potatoes with skins on.
Roast the sweet potatoes in the oven at 425°F/246°C for 50 mins or until fork tender.
Let cool, then split down the middle, hollowing out the middle. Make sure you leave the outer rims thicker to hold the crème brulee base.

02.

For the crème brulee base

Preheat oven to 325°F/163°C.

Place the heavy cream, and the vanilla bean and its pulp into a saucepan set over medium heat and bring to a boil.

Remove from the heat and steep the bean for 15 mins, then remove.

Whisk in the miso until it is fully incorporated.

In a medium bowl, whisk half of the sugar and egg yolks until well blended and lightened in color.

Drizzle the cream slowly into the egg yolk mixture, stirring continually.

Pour into the hollowed sweet potatoes.

Bake for 30-35 mins.

Before serving, brulee the tops with sugar.

Anthony Inn

11 Jul 2024

New York

Contemporary

The Chef

Born in Taipei, Taiwan, and raised in New York City, Inn’s culinary passion was profoundly shaped by his family’s ties to Taiwan and Japan, fostering a lifelong connection to food. His professional journey began under the mentorship of Toshio Suzuki, a revered sushi master and pioneer of Japanese cuisine in New York. Under Suzuki’s rigorous training, Inn honed a profound mastery of sushi and traditional Japanese techniques, laying the foundation for his culinary philosophy.

Inn’s illustrious career includes positions at some of the United States’ most prestigious Japanese restaurants, including Taru, Morimoto, and the Michelin-starred Masa and Satsuki. These experiences allowed him to refine advanced techniques, such as dry-aging fatty fish like tuna, while cultivating a style that seamlessly integrates Japanese craftsmanship with bold, contemporary innovation.

In 2023, Inn was appointed Executive Chef of Kin Gin, a contemporary izakaya concept by TableOne Hospitality. The restaurant’s name, meaning “gold and silver,” reflects its sleek, refined ambiance and the artistry of its cuisine. At Kin Gin, Chef Inn brings the Japanese philosophy of omotenashi—a tradition of thoughtful and heartfelt hospitality—to life through a menu that melds authentic Japanese flavors with modern techniques and locally sourced ingredients.

One of Kin Gin’s standout dishes is Inn’s sweet potato crème brûlée, a dessert inspired by his childhood in Taiwan and visiting relatives in Japan. This dish exemplifies Inn’s ability to weave personal history into his culinary creations, marrying tradition and nostalgia with modern presentation. Guided by seasonality, meticulous attention to detail, and an unwavering commitment to excellence, Inn creates personalized, immersive dining experiences that resonate deeply with his guests.

As the creative force behind Kin Gin, Chef Anthony Inn continues pushing modern Japanese cuisine's boundaries. His dedication to honoring his heritage and innovative spirit have positioned him as a leading figure in the culinary world. Through his work, he not only elevates Japanese gastronomy but also embodies the timeless art of omotenashi, offering diners an experience that is as heartfelt as it is extraordinary.

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