Recipe Manuscript

Camotitos Poblanos

Name: Camotitos Poblanos
Prep time: PTPT15M
Cook time: PTPT30M
Yield: 20
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 500 grams sweet potatoes (camotes; orange or white-fleshed); 500 grams granulated sugar; Water (enough to make syrup, approx. 100 ml); 2 teaspoons (10 ml) orange blossom water (agua de azahar); Powdered sugar (for dusting and shaping; approx. 50 grams)

"Pueblan-Style Sweet Potato Candies"

1950

From the treasured pages of Mexican Cooking Notebook

Unknown Author

Early Modern Kitchen (1900 - 1930)American Intermediate Dessert Snack

Original Recipe • 1950

Original Manuscript(circa Early Modern Kitchen, 1900 - 1930)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

Camotitos Poblanos

"Despues de cocidos, mondados, molidos y vaciados con el agua los camotes, se pasan por un cedazo, y con otro tanto de su peso de azucar, se hace almibar clarificado de punto de enajar en agua, entonce se le mezcla el camote, meneandolo bien para que se deshaga: se vuelve todo a la lumbre hasta que tenga el punto de despegarse del cazo, añadiendose un poco de agua azahar. Asi que este fria la pasta, se van labrando los camotitos, echandose azucar cernida en la mano para que no se peguen."

English Translation

"After the sweet potatoes are cooked, peeled, mashed, and mixed with their cooking water, they are passed through a sieve. Then, using an equal weight of sugar, a clarified syrup is made until it reaches the thread stage in water. The sweet potatoes are then mixed in, stirring well so they break down completely. Everything is returned to the heat until it reaches the point where it pulls away from the pan, adding a little orange blossom water. Once the mixture is cooled, the candies are shaped, sprinkling sifted sugar on your hands to prevent sticking."

Note on the Original Text

This recipe uses the concise, almost poetic language of early 20th-century Spanish manuscript cookbooks. Quantities are instinctual—tied to ratios and proportions rather than set measures (here, 'otro tanto' means an equal weight of sugar to sweet potato). Instructions focus on texture cues (such as 'el punto de despegarse del cazo,' meaning the paste leaves the sides of the pan) rather than exact times or temperatures. Spelling and phrasing are consistent with the formal Spanish of the era, occasionally using now-archaic culinary terms. The recipe expects the cook to have tactile familiarity with these processes—a delightful invitation to learn through doing.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Mexican Cooking Notebook - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Mexican Cooking Notebook (1950)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Unknown

Era

1950

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A charming 20th-century manuscript brimming with Mexican culinary delights, this notebook collects recipes such as Apio a la Española, Ardillas guisadas, Barbo Marino, Barbada (Crema de licor), Biscochos soplados de Almendra, and Carnero Adobado—a flavorful journey through classic and inventive dishes.

Kindly made available by

University of Texas at San Antonio

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This charming recipe hails from an early 20th-century Mexican manuscript cookbook, dating to 1915, at a time when home cooks documented family recipes in treasured notebooks. 'Camotitos poblanos' are traditional sweets from Puebla, a region famed for its imaginative confections, often made in convent kitchens and for festive occasions. Recipes during this era were handed down orally or scribbled in longhand, with precise measurements giving way to experience and intuition. The sweet potato—native to the Americas—was readily available and economical, making it an ideal base for candies like these. The addition of orange blossom water reflects Mexico's centuries-old culinary dialogue with Spanish and Middle Eastern flavors, a fragrant echo of distant lands enjoyed at family tables and celebrations.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In 1915 kitchens, sweet potatoes would have been simmered in a heavy pot over a wood or coal stove. After cooking, the potatoes were peeled by hand and mashed with a wooden pestle or a basic mortar, then forced through a wire sieve (cedazo) for smoothness. Sugar syrup would be made in a copper or tin pan (cazo), and the entire mixture stirred with a sturdy wooden spoon, often over a gentle, attentive flame. Once cooled, shaping was done entirely by hand, with sugar dusted on the palms to prevent sticking—a tactile experience connecting cook to confection.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

1 pound (16 ounces) sweet potatoes (camotes; orange or white-fleshed)
1 pound (16 ounces) granulated sugar
Water (enough to make syrup, approx. 1/3 cup or 3.5 fluid ounces)
2 teaspoons (0.33 fluid ounces) orange blossom water (agua de azahar)
Powdered sugar (for dusting and shaping; approx. 1/3 cup or 1.75 ounces)

Instructions

Begin by boiling about 1 pound (16 ounces) of sweet potatoes (preferably orange-fleshed for a similar flavor and texture).
Once they are soft, peel and mash them thoroughly, ideally passing the mash through a fine sieve for smoothness.
Weigh the cooked, mashed sweet potatoes and use an equal weight of granulated sugar (about 1 pound/16 ounces).
Prepare a light sugar syrup by dissolving the sugar in a little water and cooking it until it reaches the 'thread' stage (approximately 223-230°F on a sugar thermometer).
Mix the sweet potato purée into the syrup, stirring constantly so the mixture is uniform and smooth.
Continue cooking over low heat, stirring often, until the paste thickens and pulls away from the sides of the pan.
Just before taking it off the heat, add a couple of teaspoons (2 teaspoons/0.33 fluid ounces) of orange blossom water.
Let the paste cool to room temperature.
Once cool, dust your hands with powdered sugar to prevent sticking, and shape the mixture into small, bite-sized logs or balls—the 'camotitos.' Optionally, roll them in more powdered sugar for finish.

Estimated Calories

130 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It will take about 15 minutes to get your ingredients ready, then 30 minutes more to cook. Each serving is about 130 calories if you make 20 bite-sized pieces.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.