Nigerian Yam Brownie
Aperçu
This is a brownie made with mashed yam in place of much of the flour, and it is a deliberate fusion rather than a traditional dish. The contributor presents it as exactly that: a twist on a familiar dessert using a Nigerian staple. Yam is not a substitute ingredient in Nigeria; it is a central one, eaten pounded, fried, roasted and in porridge, and it carries cultural weight that potatoes do not. Using it in a brownie is a contemporary move, and it works on the same principle as sweet potato or black bean brownies: the starch gives body and moisture while the cocoa carries the flavour. What results is denser and fudgier than a flour brownie, with an earthy background note from the yam. Two cups of mashed yam against half a cup of flour is a high ratio, so the texture is closer to a baked pudding than a cakey brownie. There is no tradition behind it and this entry does not invent one. It belongs to the growing body of Nigerian home baking that treats local staples as ingredients for Western formats, alongside plantain cakes and yam flour breads.
Ingrédients
Les mentions alimentaires sont fournies par les contributeurs à titre indicatif. Elles ne sont pas vérifiées par AFN et dépendent des produits que vous achetez. En cas d’allergie grave, vérifiez vous-même chaque ingrédient. Cuisine, allergies et votre propre jugement
Préparation
- 1
Preheat the oven to 175°C and grease a baking pan.
- 2
In a bowl, combine the mashed yam, melted butter and sugar, and mix well.
- 3
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each, then the vanilla extract.
- 4
In a separate bowl, sift together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and salt.
- 5
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, mixing until just combined.
- 6
Fold in the nuts if using.
- 7
Pour the batter into the greased pan and spread it evenly.
- 8
Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- 9
Cool in the pan for a while, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- 10
Cut into squares and serve.
Notes de l’Africook
Notes personnelles de Laila Yetunde- Mash the yam completely smooth and let it cool before mixing. Lumps stay lumps, and hot mash starts to cook the eggs.
- Do not overmix once the dry ingredients go in. Overworking develops gluten and gives a tough brownie.
- Take it out while a toothpick still shows moist crumbs. Baked until clean, it dries out badly.
- Expect a dense, fudgy result rather than a cakey one. Two cups of yam against half a cup of flour makes this closer to a baked pudding.
- Adjust the sugar and cocoa to taste, as the source suggests. Yam is starchy rather than sweet, so it takes more sugar than a sweet potato version would.
- Cool it completely before cutting. Warm, it falls apart.
Questions fréquentes
Is this a traditional Nigerian dessert?
No, and this entry does not claim it is. It is a contemporary fusion, using a central Nigerian staple in a Western format. It belongs alongside plantain cakes and yam flour breads in the growing body of Nigerian home baking that treats local staples as baking ingredients.
What kind of yam should I use?
White yam, the Nigerian tuber, boiled until soft and mashed smooth. This is not the orange sweet potato sold as yam in North America, which is a different plant entirely and considerably sweeter and wetter. If you use sweet potato instead, reduce the sugar.
How is it different from a normal brownie?
Denser and fudgier, with an earthy background note. Two cups of mashed yam against half a cup of flour means the yam is doing most of the structural work, so the result sits closer to a baked pudding than a cakey brownie. The cocoa still leads the flavour.
Can I make it without eggs?
The yam is already providing a great deal of binding and moisture, so a flax egg substitute works reasonably here, using a tablespoon of ground flaxseed to three of water per egg. Expect a denser result again. The baking powder becomes more important for any lift at all.
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Honest truth, I was skeptical about putting yam in brownie! Yam is for pounded yam or egg sauce sha. But I had leftover boiled yam this morning, so I mashed 2 cups and tried it. 30 minutes in the oven was perfect, very moist and dense. Next time I will reduce the sugar to 3/4 cup because 1 cup made it a bit too sweet for me o.
Tracked down a massive yam at the international shop on London Road in Sheffield. The shopkeeper told me how to peel and boil it properly. Followed the method exactly, sifting the cocoa powder and flour together so there were no lumps. Turned out surprisingly rich! My partner had no idea there was yam inside until I told him.
Tried finding proper West African yam here in Bloem, eventually got a piece from an African shop in town. Preheated my oven to 175°C as stated. The batter was super thick after folding in the 1/2 cup cocoa and flour, so I was worried, but it baked into the most lekker fudgy treat. Perfect after a braai!
Couldn't get proper Pona yam in Woolwich market so I used white yam from the African shop near the station. Was worried the texture would be stringy, but once I mashed it smooth and folded in the cocoa powder, it came out so fudgy! My kids ate the whole pan sha.
my sister made this when I visited her and I had to get the recipe. I bought yam from Aston market yesterday, but do I need to make sure the mashed yam is completely cold before mixing with the butter and sugar? I don't want the eggs to scramble when adding them one at a time o.