Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

• Preheat the oven to 450° Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil.


• For the potatoes: melt the butter with the salt. Set aside.


• Wash and scrub the sweet potatoes, patting them dry. Place the flattest side of the potato down on a cutting board (alternatively, you can cut a thin slice off lengthwise to create a flat surface).


• Cut a series of ¼ - ⅛-inch slices along the potato, stopping about ½ inch from the bottom. To make this easier, place a chopstick or wooden spoon parallel to each side of the potato, which will act as a guard to ensure you can’t slice all the way through.


• Place the potatoes on the baking pan. Brush 1/3 of the butter over the potatoes, and try to get into the slices. Tent loosely with foil and bake for 40 minutes.


• While the potato bakes, make the crystallized nuts. Place the sugars, water, Cacao Mole Coffee rub, and salt in a small pan and whisk to combine. Turn on medium-low heat and cook, stirring infrequently, until glossy and beginning to bubble. Add the nuts, and stir constantly for about 4-5 minutes. The sugar syrup will initially coat the nuts and eventually crystallize, creating a lovely texture on the nuts. The sesame seeds may mostly separate from the peanuts. Remove from heat and spread out on a plate or mat to cool. Roughly chop them, if desired.


• To the rest of the melted butter, add the Cacao Mole Coffee rub. After the 40 minutes is up, take the potatoes out of the oven and using a spatula or fork, lift them slightly off of the baking sheet to stretch them out. Baste with most of the remaining butter, leaving a bit for the end. Lower heat to 400° Fahrenheit and bake potatoes for another 15-20 minutes until tender in the center slices.


• Remove and cool slightly before plating, using a spatula to help keep the potatoes intact. Brush with remaining butter. Sprinkle nuts over the potatoes and top with chives and sour cream, optionally, although I highly recommend for some brightness with all of the deeper flavors. Enjoy!

expiry
Refrigerate leftover sweet potatoes in an airtight container for 3-5 days; reheat in a 300° oven until warm. Keep nuts at room temperature in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Once the Cacao Mole Coffee Rub is added at any point, keep temperatures moderate to avoid the risk of burnt notes.


If you prefer candied nuts, you can decrease or increase the cooking time. For a quick candy, only cook the nuts for 2-3 minutes and remove from heat while still glossy (before the sugar crystallizes). For traditional candied nuts, cook the nuts for 30-45 minutes while stirring continuously. The sugar will turn from liquid to crystallized to liquid again. These were my favorite out of the options, but the most time-consuming. Manage the heat so as not to burn the rub ingredients.