Edna Lewis & Scott Peacock's Sweet Potato Casserole
★★★★☆
COOK TIME
3 hours
SERVES
8
Ingredients
5 pounds
sweet potatoes (about 10)
1
stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2/3 cup
granulated sugar
1/2 cup
light brown sugar
1/2 cup
honey
2 teaspoons
pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 teaspoons
salt
3/4 teaspoon
freshly grated nutmeg
3
large eggs, lightly beaten
2 1/2 cups
hot milk
1 cup
all-purpose flour
1 cup
light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon
cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon
freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon
salt
1
stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice and chilled
1 cup
(4 ounces) coarsely chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Spread the sweet potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for about 1 1/2 hours, or until tender. Let cool slightly, about 10 minutes, then peel.
- In a large bowl, beat the hot sweet potatoes on low speed. Beat in the butter. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, honey, vanilla, salt and nutmeg and beat until blended. Add the eggs and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the hot milk.
- Preheat the oven to 375° F. Butter a 13- by 9- by 2-inch baking dish and pour in the sweet potatoes; spread in an even layer.
- In a bowl, rub together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add the butter and rub or cut it in until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in the pecans.
- Sprinkle the topping evenly over the potatoes and bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours, until the topping is golden brown and crisp. If the topping browns too quickly around the edges before the center is crisped, cut a large hole in the center of a sheet of foil and rest it on the dish while it finishes baking. Serve hot.
- MAKE AHEAD: The puréed sweet potato mixture and the topping can be refrigerated separately for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.
