“Kinton(きんとん or 栗きんとん)” is a traditional Japanese dessert made by cooking and mashing purple Japanese sweet potatoes with sugar, then adding boiled sweet chestnuts. It is commonly served at New Year’s celebrations to wish for financial wellbeing in the coming year.
This recipe delivers a fresh twist on the traditional dessert by lightening the flavor profile with fruit! The tartness of the fruit counteracts the rich sweetness of traditional kinton, making it lighter and easier to eat.
This recipe is designed to be palatable even for children who dislike super-sweet kinton. Lemon and maple syrup add additional aromatic notes that brighten the overall flavor palette. Since it is easy to make and can be prepared with seasonal fruits, it is a popular family dessert or snack in my home!
20 minutes
Chiori
PROFILE
INGREDIENTS
SERVES 4
Original recipe (1X) yields 4 servings
When scaling the recipe, the ratios of some ingredients may require slight adjustments. Adjust as necessary and season to taste.
- 1 purple Japanese sweet potato (about 7 oz. / 200g each)
- 5 strawberries
- 0.5 of a kiwi fruit
- 0.5 tbsp maple syrup (or pancake syrup)
- A1 cup water
- A3 tbsp sugar
- A1 tbsp lemon juice
INSTRUCTIONS
- 1
Peel the sweet potato, cut it into bite-sized irregular chunks, and soak it in water.
- 2
Dice the strawberries and kiwi fruit, and drizzle them with maple syrup (or pancake syrup).
- 3
Place the (A) ingredients (water, sugar, and lemon juice) and the drained sweet potato from Step 1 in a pot, simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes until soft, then mash and let it cool.
- 4
Add the fruit from Step 2 and gently mix.
RecipeID
600
Tips & Notes
・Increase the amount of maple syrup to taste.
MY RATING
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I live in Sapporo, Hokkaido, and I’m a mother of two daughters who both love to eat. As a working mom, my realistic, everyday recipes have resonated with many, and as of May 2024, I’m grateful to have over 380,000 followers on Instagram. Thank you so much for your support! From a homemaker’s perspective, my motto is to create recipes that make families happy and help busy women. I share dishes that can be made even more delicious with just a small twist using seasonings you already have at home. Along with recipes, I also post daily tips on cooking techniques to enhance flavor and handy food storage methods that make life in the kitchen easier.