GET THE RECIPE!
2 ½ cups Water 2 Ceylon cinnamon sticks, 1 ½ tsp. Anise seed 1 ½ cups Sugar, granulated 1.6 lb. Sweet potato
17.6 oz. All-Purpose flour 2 ½ tsp. Baking powder ⅔ cup Melted refined coconut oil ¼ cup Sugar 1 tbsp. Ground cinnamon 1 ⅓ cup Sweet Potato Syrup 2 tbsp. Almond milk 1 tbsp. Maple Syrup
STEP 1
Combine the water, cinnamon sticks, anise seed, and sugar in a small pot. Bring to a simmer over low heat and simmer softly for 30 min. Strain. Reserve 1 1/3 cups of the syrup and set aside. Pour the rest of the sweet potato syrup in a small pot and add the sweet potato. Bring to a very low simmer, cover, and let cook for 45 min.
STEP 2
Drain and mash with a fork. While the sweet potatoes are cooking, in a large bowl mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, and cinnamon. Add the melted coconut oil and mix well. Add sweet potato syrup and mix. Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead for about 10 mins or until the dough has come together is elastic and smooth, but not sticky. Let it rest for 45 min.
STEP 3
Preheat oven to 350F. Divide the dough into 16 equal portions and roll them into balls. On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough 1/4 inch thick. Place 1 tbsp. of the filling in the middle of the dough round. Fold the dough over to enclose the filling, and crimp the edges with a fork to seal or seal them decoratively as the Argentinians do.
STEP 4
Pierce each empanada three times with a fork near the crimped edge. In a small bowl combine the almond milk and maple syrup. Use this to brush the empanadas and bake for 35 – 40 min. or until the empanadas are golden brown on the bottom.
The original recipe called for vegetable shortening, but I have substituted it for coconut oil, but you could also use melted vegan butter. I also reduced the amount of sugar (believe it or not!), but you can sub with piloncillo, sugar in the raw or muscovado sugar.