Sweet Potato Pie

I posted a photo of my Sweet Potato Pie on Facebook yesterday and received no fewer than 10 messages asking for the recipe. Ask and you shall receive, my friends.

I’ve only made this pie a few times, and adding the coconut was inspired by my father-in-law, who used to make a similar pie each Thanksgiving. I cannot tell you how yummy sweet potato is with coconut. It’s one of my favorite flavor combinations.

My Thanksgiving dessert menu is getting rather long and in the past has always included a pumpkin pie. But pumpkin pie is quite the northern treat (as one reader pointed out) and sweet potato pie always reminds me of my day’s in the south, in Georgia, where it graced every single holiday table.

I can’t let Thanksgiving go by without a hunk of this pie smothered in homemade whip cream (with a little bourbon added into the cream for extra deliciousness).

Sweet Potato Pie

Ingredients

• 1 pound 3 ounces sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 1/4 cups plain yogurt
• 3/4 cup packed, dark brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg
• 5 egg yolks
• Salt
• 1 (9-inch) pre-made pie crust (Yes, I’m awful and do not make my own pie crust)
• 1 cup whole pecans, toasted
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1/2 cup grated unsweetened coconut

Put cubed potatoes into pot filled with boiling water. Allow cooking for 10-15 minutes or until the potatoes are forking tender. Drain. Mash with potato masher and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place sweet potatoes in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat with the paddle attachment (or whatever attachment you have, my paddle was worn down). Add yogurt, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, yolks, and salt, to taste, and beat until well combined. Fold in coconut. Pour this batter into the pie shell and place onto a sheet pan. Sprinkle pecans on top, or arrange them delicately as I did, and drizzle with maple syrup.

Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until the custard reaches 165 to 180 degrees. Remove from oven and cool. Keep refrigerated after cooling.