スイートポテトキットカット ミニ
Sweet Potato Kit Kat Minis
Package Style: Autumn seasonal box, 11 kit kat minis
Price: ¥980
- Taste: 4/5
- Smell: 4/5
- Texture: 4/5
- Value: 3/5
When I spotted this package at the Don Quijote, my eyes were immediately drawn to the purple and warm golden-orange packaging adorned with illustrations of roasted sweet potatoes. “スイートポテト” – sweet potato – instantly transported me to autumn memories of street vendors selling yakiimo (roasted sweet potatoes) from their trucks, their melodic calls echoing through Japanese neighborhoods as the leaves begin to turn.
Sweet potatoes hold a special place in Japanese culture, particularly during the fall season. Known as “satsumaimo,” these purple-skinned, golden-fleshed tubers are celebrated not just as a healthy snack, but as a symbol of autumn comfort food. From tempura to cake to ice cream, sweet potato finds its way into countless Japanese confections – so naturally, Kit Kat had to get in on the action!
Upon opening the box, there’s a subtle but unmistakable aroma – not the intense perfume-like fragrance of the apple variety, but a gentle, earthy sweetness reminiscent of freshly baked sweet potato. It’s comforting rather than overwhelming, like catching a whiff of someone’s kitchen where sweet potato pie is in the oven.
Japan’s obsession with individually wrapped treats continues here, and I’m greeted by a dozen perfectly portioned minis. At nearly ten dollars per box, my wallet winces slightly, but my taste buds are already doing a happy dance in anticipation. Sig and I will need to exercise some serious portion control – five and half each seems tragically insufficient!
Unwrapping the first mini, I’m pleased to discover it’s made with white chocolate rather than milk chocolate. While I typically find white chocolate overly sweet, something about the sweet potato flavor profile seems to call for this lighter base. The pale orange-tinted coating hints at the flavor adventure ahead.
Taking that first bite, the familiar Kit Kat crunch gives way to a surprisingly sophisticated flavor profile. The white chocolate provides a creamy backdrop that doesn’t compete with the star of the show – a warm, nutty sweet potato taste that’s both nostalgic and refined. It’s not overly sweet or artificial; instead, it captures that perfectly roasted, caramelized essence that makes yakiimo so irresistible during chilly autumn evenings.
The back of the package even suggests to bake the Sweet Potato Kit Kats for maximum cozy warm nostalgia – best serve with hot tea:
- Leave the package in the fridge for 5 minutes – this is important! it will just be a globby mess if you don’t
- Unwrap and put the kit kat on aluminum foil lined baking tray
- Place in a toaster oven for 2 minutes, until slightly browned – try low–medium heat, then medium if that doesn’t work.
- Allow to cool and enjoy!
Sans baking, the texture maintains Kit Kat’s signature satisfying crunch, while the sweet potato flavoring adds an almost custard-like smoothness to each bite. It’s like autumn decided to take up residence in a chocolate bar, and honestly, I’m here for it.
Keep in mind that Japanese seasonal Kit Kats are hard to find especially out of season and if you’re not in Japan. But you can search Amazon to try your luck.
Sweet Potato Kit Kat Mini Ingredients: sugar, vegetable oil, whole milk powder, flour, lactose, cocoa butter, sweet potato powder, cocoa powder, yeast, emulsifier, fragrance, baking soda, yeast food, coloring (carotenoid), (some of the raw materials include soy and wheat)
