A grand gathering of sweet potatoes at FamilyMart

Sweet potato season is here again this year!

Starting September 22nd, FamilyMart is holding its "FamilyMart Sweet Potato Harvest Festival" at stores nationwide, featuring 14 different products made with sweet potatoes.

FamilyMart's 6th Annual Sweet Potato Festival: What's New This Year?

When you think of autumn, you think of sweet potatoes, right? As a sweet potato lover herself, Nabeko gets particularly excited this time of year. FamilyMart has been holding a sweet potato fair every year since 2021, making this its sixth year. So, what kind of sweet potato treats are available this year? Samples arrived at the editorial office, so we checked them out.

●Zaku Horo Choux (Sweet Potato Cream) 254 yen

This is a sweet potato-themed version of the "Zaku Horo Choux" that debuted this year.

When you think of choux pastry, you usually imagine a fluffy texture, but the "Zaku Horo Choux," as its name suggests, has a crispy, cookie-like texture.

Crispy cookie dough on the outside

Bite into the crisp exterior, and inside you'll find sweet potato custard made with Beni Haruka sweet potatoes, along with sweet potato-flavored whipped cream. Oh, it's incredibly sweet potato-y!

Contains custard made with Beni Haruka sweet potatoes. Beni Haruka is known for its rich sweetness.

The sweet potato custard has a rich, dense flavor, just like the sweet potato itself. The whipped cream, on the other hand, offers a light sweetness. The combination of the two creates a well-balanced taste that isn't too heavy.

Above all, the crispy texture of the pastry is excellent! The contrast in textures prevents it from feeling overly sweet. This was devoured in no time. Absolutely delicious.

●Beni Haruka Baked Sweet Potato Monaka 225 yen

There's also a sweet potato-shaped ice cream. The manufacturer is Imuraya.

Actually, sweet potato-shaped ice cream manufactured by Imuraya also appeared at FamilyMart's sweet potato fairs in 2021 and 2022. It hasn't been seen at the fair for a while, so this sweet potato-shaped ice cream is making a long-awaited return.

Just like a baked sweet potato itself

Inside the monaka, shaped like a baked sweet potato, there's sweet potato ice cream and sweet potato paste made with Beni Haruka paste. A chocolate coating adds a crisp textural accent.

Thin chocolate layer provides a crisp texture

The sweet potato paste and sweet potato ice cream offer a comforting, gentle sweetness. Its appearance, as if you're biting directly into a baked sweet potato, makes it fun to eat.

For a while, I feel like I used to see these baked sweet potato-shaped ice creams quite often. In fact, I looked into it a bit out of curiosity and found that various companies released baked sweet potato-shaped ice creams in the mid-2010s. It brings back a wave of nostalgia!

●Sweet Potato Pound Cake 198 yen

And then, a classic that's always a hit! The Sweet Potato Pound Cake.

This sweet potato-packed pound cake features Beni Haruka baked sweet potato paste kneaded into the dough, with additional diced Beni Haruka pieces. This year, they've reportedly increased the amount of both the baked sweet potato paste and diced sweet potatoes compared to last year.

The simple deliciousness of sweet potatoes. The affordable 200 yen price is also a plus.

From the moist pound cake dough, the comforting sweetness of sweet potatoes gently spreads. The diced sweet potatoes are included with the skin, giving it a rustic 'I'm definitely eating a sweet potato!' sensation.

This is something I'll definitely want to enjoy multiple times during the fair. It paired perfectly with coffee.

●Sweet Potato Canelé ~with Caramel Sauce~ 285 yen

For canelé lovers, this is a must-try!

This sweet potato-flavored canelé has Beni Haruka paste kneaded into the dough, topped with a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Just the right balance of sweetness and bitterness

The chewy texture typical of canelés is complemented by the gentle sweetness of sweet potatoes. A slightly bitter sweetness from the caramel sauce layers on top. It's not just pure sweetness, making it a bit more adult-oriented.

And that firm texture is excellent. With every bite of the dough, the deliciousness of the ingredients slowly emerges. It could even be a good accompaniment to wine.

●Pizza Sandwich Sweet Potato Cheese 330 yen

And we mustn't forget the savory options.

Served warm

This pizza sandwich combines Beni Haruka sweet potatoes from Ibaraki Prefecture with two types of cheese, Gouda and Mozzarella, and a honey maple-infused filling.

Sweet and savory, a truly guilty pleasure

You might expect a moderate sweetness for a savory item, but honestly, it's quite sweet when you taste it! The sweetness of the sweet potato is layered with honey maple, and then the saltiness of the cheese comes through strongly.

Sweet, salty, then sweet again. Both flavors intensely rush in, almost to the point of feeling like a guilty pleasure. It seems perfect for when you want to fully enjoy the sweet and savory combination of sweet potato and cheese.

In addition to these, there's a variety of breads, sweets, ice creams, and snacks, offering diverse textures like chewy, crispy-crumbly, and dense.

From classic sweet potato confections to sweet and savory meal options, there's plenty to 'dig into' again this year. Head to FamilyMart and 'harvest' some sweet potatoes!

All prices include tax.

♪Mogumogu videos now streaming♪ The ASCII Gourmet YouTube channel, "Donburi Channel," delivers information on exciting gourmet foods.

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