C – I never grew up with sweet potato pie.
I didn’t even know there was such a thing. When I got married, I started noticing sweet potato pie everywhere. Did it just appear out of thin air? Was I oblivious all my 32 years and only thought there was pumpkin pie? Are the pie gods telling me to make this Southern staple for my Southern husband?
Or, did the Wal-mart/Pattie Labelle sweet potato pie craze spur on my interest? I don’t know, but I have been noticing it a lot more lately.
Whatever it is, I have come to the conclusion that I like sweet potato pie. I also like making sweet potato pie. It can be made from scratch easier than a pumpkin pie. I usually use canned pumpkins, which I really don’t like to do.
It’s really rare for me to find good pumpkins for baking pumpkin pies. I love making things from scratch and adding pumpkin from a can isn’t making it completely from of scratch. After seeing how long it takes to make pumpkin pie with real pumpkins, no thanks.
Sweet potato pie is much easier to make from scratch. Just bake the sweet potatoes, discard the peels, blend in a food processor with some of the ingredients, mix with the remaining ingredients, place into a pie shell and bake. I don’t have to drain water overnight out of the sweet potatoes, like I do with real pumpkins. It was so much easier and better.
Now the taste test. I like it. My husband requested I put pecans on it next time or marshmallows. But, I like it plain. He can add pecans and marshmallows or ice cream afterward. It’s dense and creamy pie filling with hints of warm cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg is perfect for Autumn. It’s not too sweetm but plenty rich.
| Sweet Potato Week 2016: Sweet Potato Pie |
- 4 medium sweet potatoes
- ½ stick butter, room temperature
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp ground ginger
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 1 unbaked pie crust
- whipped cream for serving
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Roast the sweet potatoes for 1 hour on a baking sheet, or until the potatoes are fork tender. When done, let cool.
- Scrape the pulp out of the skin and discard the skin. Mash the potatoes and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, add butter and both sugars, and cream with a hand mixer.
- Add eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Mix well.
- Combine the heavy cream and the sweet potatoes.
- Combine the sweet potato mixture to the butter and egg mixture. Beat together until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into the unbaked pie shell.
- Bake for 1 hour, or until the center of the pie is firm.
- Allow to cool for at least 1 hour before serving.
- Top slices with whipped cream.
- Serve.
- Enjoy!
I wish I grew up with sweet potato pies. I grew up hating sweet potatoes because we just ate them plain without adding anything. Now, I see what else I can do with sweet potatoes,
My world isn’t going to be filled with plain, boring baked sweet potatoes anymore.