Fresh and quality ingredients greatly affect the taste of sweet potato kolak. There are several types of sweet potatoes that can be used, such as sweet potato, yellow sweet potato, and purple sweet potato. Choose sweet potatoes that are not too old and not too young so that the texture is soft but does not break apart when cooked. Sweet potatoes that are too old tend to be hard, while those that are too young are less sweet. Besides sweet potatoes, other ingredients needed are brown sugar, granulated sugar, pandan leaves, salt, vanilla, coconut milk, and water.

"Before being added to the coconut milk broth, boil the sweet potatoes first until they are half-cooked or tender. This will speed up the cooking process of the kolak and help the sweet potatoes absorb the flavor more easily. Discard the first boiling water to eliminate the bitter taste from the sweet potatoes, then cook the sweet potatoes with the other ingredients and add coconut milk for its sweet and savory broth."

"Coconut milk is the key to the savory and rich flavor of sweet potato kolak. Use thick coconut milk from fresh coconuts for a richer and more aromatic result. If you want a thinner kolak, add a little hot water to the coconut milk. Instant coconut milk can be used, but make sure to mix it with water according to the instructions so it doesn't end up too thick or too watery."