Post by Valerie on Dec 1, 2010 20:14:59 GMT -5
From Cook's Illustrated, Nov-Dec 1999
Crust
1 1/4 Cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
4 Tbsp chilled butter, cut into 1/4" cubes
3 Tbsp chilled shortening
4-5 Tbsp ice water
Filling
2 lb sweet potatoes (about 5 small-medium)
2 Tbsp butter, softened
3 large eggs plus 2 yolks
1 Cup sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
2-3 Tbsp bourbon
1 Tbsp molasses (optional)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 Cup whole milk
1/4 Cup packed dark brown sugar
For crust: Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in food processor. Add butter. Pulse 5 one-second pulses. Add shortening, pulse 5 more times. Should have butter pieces no bigger than small peas. Turn into a bowl. Add 4 Tbsp ice water and mix in with spatula, being careful not to overwork. Add up to one more Tbsp, only if necessary. Form into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 30 min.
Roll out crust on floured board and transfer to glass pie plate. Turn under edge and flute. Refrigerate for 40 more minutes. Put in freezer for 20 minutes. (Don't skip this part; it has to do with the science of butter melting and keeps the crust from shrinking and makes it flaky.)
Put foil with pie weights in crust and bake at 375° for 17 minutes. Remove foil & weights and bake 9 more minutes.
Make filling while crust is baking.
For filling: Prick sweet potatoes with a fork, place on double thickness of paper towels in microwave and cook on high for five minutes. Turn over and cook 5 more minutes until tender but not mushy. Cool 10 minutes. Cut each potato in half crosswise and scoop flesh out into a bowl with a small spoon. Throw skins away. You should have about 2 cups of pulp. Add butter while still hot and mash with a fork, leaving some small lumps.
In another bowl, whisk together eggs, yolks, sugar, nutmeg, and salt; stir in bourbon, molasses (if using), and vanilla, then whisk in milk. Gradually add egg mixture to sweet potatoes, whisking gently to combine.
When crust comes out of oven, sprinkle brown sugar in bottom of crust. (This will melt and make a separate layer that is heavenly.) Pour filling over brown sugar. Reduce oven to 350° . Bake until filling is set around edges but center jiggles slightly when shaken, about 45 minutes. (It will continue to cook as it cools.) Transfer pie to wire rack; cool to room temperature, about 2 hours, and serve.
** I don't have bourbon, but it's still good without it. They devised this recipe so it would taste like sweet potatoes rather than pumpkin pie, but still taste like dessert rather than mashed sweet potatoes in a crust. Also, I used light brown sugar on the crust, instead of dark, and it was still awesome.
Crust
1 1/4 Cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
4 Tbsp chilled butter, cut into 1/4" cubes
3 Tbsp chilled shortening
4-5 Tbsp ice water
Filling
2 lb sweet potatoes (about 5 small-medium)
2 Tbsp butter, softened
3 large eggs plus 2 yolks
1 Cup sugar
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
2-3 Tbsp bourbon
1 Tbsp molasses (optional)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 Cup whole milk
1/4 Cup packed dark brown sugar
For crust: Pulse flour, sugar, and salt in food processor. Add butter. Pulse 5 one-second pulses. Add shortening, pulse 5 more times. Should have butter pieces no bigger than small peas. Turn into a bowl. Add 4 Tbsp ice water and mix in with spatula, being careful not to overwork. Add up to one more Tbsp, only if necessary. Form into a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 30 min.
Roll out crust on floured board and transfer to glass pie plate. Turn under edge and flute. Refrigerate for 40 more minutes. Put in freezer for 20 minutes. (Don't skip this part; it has to do with the science of butter melting and keeps the crust from shrinking and makes it flaky.)
Put foil with pie weights in crust and bake at 375° for 17 minutes. Remove foil & weights and bake 9 more minutes.
Make filling while crust is baking.
For filling: Prick sweet potatoes with a fork, place on double thickness of paper towels in microwave and cook on high for five minutes. Turn over and cook 5 more minutes until tender but not mushy. Cool 10 minutes. Cut each potato in half crosswise and scoop flesh out into a bowl with a small spoon. Throw skins away. You should have about 2 cups of pulp. Add butter while still hot and mash with a fork, leaving some small lumps.
In another bowl, whisk together eggs, yolks, sugar, nutmeg, and salt; stir in bourbon, molasses (if using), and vanilla, then whisk in milk. Gradually add egg mixture to sweet potatoes, whisking gently to combine.
When crust comes out of oven, sprinkle brown sugar in bottom of crust. (This will melt and make a separate layer that is heavenly.) Pour filling over brown sugar. Reduce oven to 350° . Bake until filling is set around edges but center jiggles slightly when shaken, about 45 minutes. (It will continue to cook as it cools.) Transfer pie to wire rack; cool to room temperature, about 2 hours, and serve.
** I don't have bourbon, but it's still good without it. They devised this recipe so it would taste like sweet potatoes rather than pumpkin pie, but still taste like dessert rather than mashed sweet potatoes in a crust. Also, I used light brown sugar on the crust, instead of dark, and it was still awesome.
