Sweet Potato Pie with Pecan Streusel

 

Yeah you read correctly.  This post takes you through how to make an incredible dessert appropriate for Thanksgiving or any occasion.  If you want to make the pie making process even simpler, you can buy a pre-made crust at your local supermarket.  If you take that route, you can skip the section on making the crust.  I think about that from time-to-time when I make pie and most of those par-baked crusts are damn good.  But there's also something about making pie the same way my grandmother did.  She would spend hours in the kitchen making the crusts and fillings for every special occasion.  Naturally, she used plenty of lard to make the crust.  Lard makes everything taste better but I do not use it in my recipes.  Anyway, she would crank out the most beautiful and delicious pumpkin, lemon meringue, chocolate and rhubarb pies you've ever tasted.  I can only aspire to make pies as beautiful as Grandma Spurlock's pies.  While my work may not be as beautiful as Grandma's, notwithstanding the lard, this pie rivals her pumpkin pie as I remember it.  

The Sweet Potato Pie

This pie just tastes like Thanksgiving.  You could substitute pumpkin puree or other fillings and it will still taste like Thanksgiving.  Attribute that to the spices that dominate the flavors which include nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, brown sugar and vanilla.  In this recipe, the pecan streusel is a bonus.  

Home Made Whipped Cream

I might also recommend topping a slice with some home-made maple whipped cream.  If you have never made whipped cream at home, it's really easy, especially if you have a stand mixer with that little whipping attachment.  Just pour heavy whipping cream into the mixer bowl, start the mixer, turn up the speed and keep it going until stiff peaks begin to form in the cream. Slowly add in a couple tablespoons of maple syrup and mix until thoroughly combined.  Refrigerate until you are ready to use it.  

The Crust

The crust is a great place to start.  In fact, this is what I recommend to keep things moving.  You will want to make the pie crust and either roll it out, cover in wax paper and then put in the fridge for at least an hour or, roll it out, put it in the pie pan, trim the excess and put the dough and pan in the fridge for at least an hour before you are ready to add the filling.  I recommend making the crust first because you can make the filling while the dough is chilling in the refrigerator.    

Dough Ingredients for a 9" Pie Pan and Procedures

1.5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter/vegetable shortening (cold, straight out of the refrigerator)
4 tablespoons of ice cold water

I usually just do the mixing by hand because it's easier and it helps ensure you don't over mix the flour and butter/shortening.  Overmixing can cause the crust to be tough instead of light and flaky.  First add the flour and salt to a mixing bowl and then add the shortening a heaping teaspoon at a time.  Mix with your finger tips and add the ice cold water as you go.  When everything has been combined, sprinkle flour on (clean) counter or cutting board and place the dough ball on the floured surface.  

Roll the dough into a ball and then flatten into a disk using a rolling pin.  Lightly sprinkle additional flour onto the dough disk and using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a disk of consistent thickness (about 1/8") and sufficient size to fill the pie pan with a couple inches to spare.  

Grease the pie pan with unsalted butter or shortening, carefully place the dough into the pan and with floured fingers press the dough into the pan.  Pinch the dough around the edges and trim off the excess.  

Now, when making your own pie crust, you will need to weigh down the center part of the dough using pie weights or dried beans, rice, sugar, etc.  The weights keep bubbles in the dough from forming in the crust and creating a big hard bubble right in the middle of your pie crust.  Failure to get this right is a rookie mistake (I know, do this once and you will invest in some quality ceramic pie weights as shown in the photo below).  Cover the pie pan and dough in non-stick foil and add the pie weights.  

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees and place the pie pan, dough, weights and all into the oven for approximately 30 minutes.  Check the crust periodically for doneness.  The crust should be firm and hold its shape, but not brown.  When done, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for 20-30 minutes.  

Pie Filling Ingredients & Procedure

1 large sweet potato or garnet yam

2 eggs or equivalent egg substitute

1 teaspoon cinnamon powder

1 teaspoon powdered nutmeg

1 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup of light brown sugar

1.5 cups heavy whipping cream

  

Place the sweet potato or yam on a microwave safe plate and microwave for 6-7 minutes or until the flesh is soft and able to be removed with a spoon.  

Making the filling works best with a food processor.  A blender will work but you will likely need to mix some of it by hand to ensure the ingredients get broken down to a smooth consistency.  Add the orange fleshy parts of the sweet potato to the food processor.  Pulse until smooth.  Add the eggs, spices, vanilla, brown sugar and heavy whipping cream.  Pulse all of the ingredients until they are of a smooth orange/brown consistency.  

Make the Pecan Streusel Topping

This topping will make you slap your grandma.  Well, not Grandma Spurlock because she'd make you cut a switch off the tree and beat your ass with it.  Oh, and no pie for you, ever!  I'll leave that comment for Marvin Maxwell (of Mom's Music and 60's Dick Clark Caravan of Stars sensations Soul Inc.) to interpret since the phrase "it's so good, you'll slap your grandma" was shouted from his mouth to my ears (and scores of others by now).

Ingredients 

1/4 cup fresh pecans

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Combine the ingredients in a food processor or blender, pulse and chop to a fine consistency and set aside.  

Bake the Pie

Pour the filling into the pie pan on top of the cooled pie crust.  If you have extra pie crust trimmings,  you can cut them into narrow strips and place them into a cross-hatch pattern on top of the pie.  This is not required, but it is a good use of the extra dough.  Top with half of the pecan streusel and you are ready to bake the pie.  

Place the pie into a 375 degree oven and bake for 20-30 minutes.  Rotate the pie in the oven and continue baking for another 25-30 minutes or until the filling has risen and is firm.  

When the pie is finished, allow it to cool and place it in the refrigerator.  As the pie cools, the center filling may have risen and will fall as it cools - that is normal.  If you are baking and eating on the same day, give the pie ample time to cool slightly before cutting it into slices to ensure the pie filling congeals.  After almost an hour in the oven at 375 degrees, that filling will be like molten lava and almost as hot - don't eat it until it has cooled.  

Serve with extra streusel topping and that lovely maple whipped cream discussed earlier in the post.  You may consider making two pies, this one will go quickly.  My pie may not look as pretty as Grandma Spurlock's but as Grandpa Spurlock would say, it's still "awful good eatin'."  

Enjoy and Happy Holidays!