Spiced Vanilla Custards with Sweet Potato Streusel

Silky smooth vanilla custards infused with warm spices like cinnamon and star anise, topped with a crunchy sweet potato chip streusel. This elegant dessert combines classic French custard with a unique twist of sweet potato crunch.

8 servings

5 hr 5 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
•1½ cups heavy cream
•½ cup whole milk
•2 pieces cinnamon sticks
•1 pod star anise pod
•⅜ cup sugar
•½ bean vanilla bean
•4 large egg yolks
•½ cup all-purpose flour
•2 tablespoons light brown sugar
•½ teaspoon kosher salt
•¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
•¼ cup unsalted butter
•½ cup sweet potato chips
•crumbled

Cooking Instructions

1.
Place 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl; sprinkle gelatin over and set aside. Combine cream, milk, cinnamon, star anise, and 1/4 cup sugar in a medium saucepan and scrape in vanilla seeds; add pod. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep 20 minutes.
25 min
2.
Uncover infused cream and return to a simmer. Whisk egg yolks with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl. Whisking constantly, gradually add 1/2 cup warm cream mixture to egg yolks. Reduce heat to medium-low and whisk egg yolk mixture into remaining cream mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until custard is thick enough to coat a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes. Add gelatin; cook, stirring until dissolved.
10 min
3.
Strain custard into a measuring cup. Pour into eight 2 ounces demitasse cups or ramekins. Chill until set, at least 4 hours.
240 min
4.
Do ahead: Custards can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.
5.
Preheat oven to 350°. Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Add butter and work into flour with your fingers until no dry spots remain.
10 min
6.
Scatter mixture over a parchmentlined baking sheet, breaking up into large crumbs. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until streusel is golden brown and crisp, 10-15 minutes. Let cool, then add crumbled sweet potato chips and toss to combine.
15 min
7.
Serve custards topped with streusel.
5 min
8.
Do ahead: Streusel can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

Ingredients

•1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

•1½ cups heavy cream

•½ cup whole milk

•2 pieces cinnamon sticks

•1 pod star anise pod

•⅜ cup sugar

•½ bean vanilla bean

•4 large egg yolks

•½ cup all-purpose flour

•2 tablespoons light brown sugar

•½ teaspoon kosher salt

•¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

•¼ cup unsalted butter

•½ cup sweet potato chips

•crumbled

Cooking Instructions

Place 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl; sprinkle gelatin over and set aside. Combine cream, milk, cinnamon, star anise, and 1/4 cup sugar in a medium saucepan and scrape in vanilla seeds; add pod. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep 20 minutes.

25 min

Uncover infused cream and return to a simmer. Whisk egg yolks with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a medium bowl. Whisking constantly, gradually add 1/2 cup warm cream mixture to egg yolks. Reduce heat to medium-low and whisk egg yolk mixture into remaining cream mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until custard is thick enough to coat a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes. Add gelatin; cook, stirring until dissolved.

10 min

Strain custard into a measuring cup. Pour into eight 2 ounces demitasse cups or ramekins. Chill until set, at least 4 hours.

240 min

Do ahead: Custards can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.

Preheat oven to 350°. Whisk flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Add butter and work into flour with your fingers until no dry spots remain.

10 min

Scatter mixture over a parchmentlined baking sheet, breaking up into large crumbs. Bake, rotating pan halfway through, until streusel is golden brown and crisp, 10-15 minutes. Let cool, then add crumbled sweet potato chips and toss to combine.

15 min

Serve custards topped with streusel.

5 min

Do ahead: Streusel can be made 1 week ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.