Candied Sweet Potato Pie

 This Candied Sweet Potato Pie has subtle 

flavors and is not too sweet.

Ingredients:

1 unbaked 9-inch deep dish unbaked pie crust

1 2/3 cups cooked, mashed orange sweet potatoes

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup buttermilk

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

1 tablespoon milk

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup mini marshmallows

Method:

Prepare pie crust and place in a deep dish 9-inch pie pan. (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 375*. In a large bowl, stir together the sweet potatoes, sugar, maple syrup and spices. Add the eggs and stir with a fork, just until combined. Gradually stir in the buttermilk, until thoroughly mixed.

Line a baking sheet with foil. Place prepared crust on baking pan. Pour sweet potato mixture into the crust. Very carefully place pie, on baking sheet, into the preheated oven. Bake for 30 minutes.

After 25 minutes, melt the butter, in a small saucepan, over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar. Next stir in the 2 tablespoons maple syrup. Ad the milk. Cook and stir, until the mixture comes to a boil. 

Carefully remove the pie and baking sheet from the oven. Evenly sprinkle the marshmallows on top of the partially baked pie. Sprinkle the pecans on top of the marshmallows. Carefully drizzle the brown sugar syrup over the marshmallows and pecans. Return pie, and baking sheet, to the oven. Bake for 15 to 20 more minutes, or until the center is set.

Cool on a rack for at least 1 hour. Cover and chill within 2 hours. Serve chilled. Serves 6 to 8

Note: A simple way to prepare sweet potatoes is in a microwave oven. Bake, one at a time, for 5 minutes, on high setting. Using a pot holder, turn over potato and cook for another 5 minutes. Cool until easy to handle. Cut in half. Scoop out cooked potato. Place in a bowl and puree with a Braun Hand blender, or blend in a food processor.

Perfect Pie Crust

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup (1/2 butter & 1/2 shortening)

3 - 4 tablespoons chilled water

Method:

In a mixing bowl, sift together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, or two knives, cut in butter and shortening until pieces are the size of small peas. Next, use your fingers to continue mixing until the flour resembles cornmeal. 

Sprinkle one tablespoon of the water over a part of the flour mixture and gently toss with a fork.  Push to side of bowl. Repeat until all of the flour is moistened. Form the dough into a ball. On a lightly floured surface, flatten the dough with your hands. Roll dough from the center to the edges, forming a circle about 12 inches in diameter. Wrap pastry around rolling pin. Unroll from pin over a 9 inch pie pan. Ease dough into the pie pan, while being careful not to stretch the pastry. Trim dough to a 1/2 inch beyond the edge of the pie plate, folding under extra pastry around the edge. Use fingers to pinch dough into a scalloped edge. (Save leftover scraps of dough to make "crust cookies".)