Today I’m sharing a beautiful recipe from a beautiful cookbook. It’s sweet, has whiskey in it, and is made of vegetables. Yum.

Sweet Potato Pie with a Gingerbread Crust and Bourbon Whipped

Prep Time
1 hr 30 min
Cook Time
45 min

Gingerbread Crust

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 cups gingersnap crumbs

Filling

1 3/4 lb dark orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (2 large or 3 medium)
2 T. unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small cubes
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 T. bourbon whiskey
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp. kosher or fine sea salt

Bourbon Whipped Cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 T. confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp. bourbon whiskey

Instructions

Position one rack in the center and a second in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment.

Crust

Butter a 9-inch deep-dish glass pie plate with 1 tbsp of the melted butter. In a medium bowl, combine the gingersnap crumbs and the remaining butter and toss and stir until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Press the crumb mixture evenly in the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate, stopping within about 1/2 in of the rim . Bake the crust on the lower third of the oven until crisp at the edges and lightly colored, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack.

Filling

Pierce each sweet potato several times with a fork and place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until the potatoes are very tender when pierced with a fork, 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on the size of the potatoes. Remove from the oven, cut each potato in half lengthwise and let cool for 10 minutes.
Scoop the flesh from the sweet potato halves into a large bowl, discarding the skins. Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes with the butter. Add the brown sugar and continue to mash. (The potatoes should be warm enough to melt the butter and dissolve most of the brown sugar.) Using a wooden spoon, stir in the eggs. Add the coconut milk, cream, bourbon, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and stir until the mixture is smooth and light. (Alternatively, beat the ingredients with a handheld mixer or a stand mixer.)
Gently pour the filling into the cooled crust. Place the pie in the center of the oven and bake until the sides are slightly puffed, about 45 minutes. The center of the filling will still be a bit soft and will even jiggle a little when you shake the pie plate gently. Turn off the oven, set the oven door ajar, and leave the pie in the oven, undisturbed, for another 10 minutes. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and cool completely.

Whipped Cream

In a medium bowl, combine the cream, confectioners’ sugar and bourbon. Using a whisk or handheld mixer, whip the cream until medium peaks form. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
Cut the pie into wedges with a warm, wet knife, wiping the knife clean after every cut. Top with the whipped cream and serve.

By “Roots” (2012) by Diane Morgan