Purple Sweet Potato Pie

from ButterYum

makes one 9-inch pie

Ingredients

For the Pie Filling:

• • 1 pound cooked and peeled purple sweet potatoes (see cooking directions below)

  • 12 once can evaporated milk

  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar

  • 2 large eggs

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

  • 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

  • 1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell (try my easy recipe here)

For the Meringue Topping:

• • 2 egg whites, room temperature

  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

  • big pinch of cream of tartar

  • small pinch of fine salt

  • 1/3 cup superfine sugar

Directions

To make the pie filling:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350F and place rack in lower center position.

  2. In the bowl of a food processor, combine until completely smooth the peeled sweet potatoes, evaporated milk, sugar, eggs, butter, lemon juice, vanilla extract, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves; scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

  3. Pour mixture into prepared pie shell; place on a sheet pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until set (a very slight giggle in the very center of the pie is fine).

  4. Remove pie from oven and cool to room temperature before chilling in an airtight container for several hours (overnight is even better).

To make the meringue topping:

• 1. In a medium bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer, place the egg whites, cream of tartar, vanilla bean paste, and salt; use a fork or whisk to mix the ingredients and break up the eggs until they're frothy.

  2. Use a hand mixer or the whip attachment of a stand mixer to whip egg whites until they reach soft peaks; sprinkle sugar in slowly and continue whipping until the whites are glossy and they reach the stiff peak stage.

  3. Place meringue in a large pastry bag fitted with a large round tip or large open star tip and pipe kisses around the top circumference of the pie; place under broiler for 2-3 minutes until meringue begins to brown on the edges, watching very carefully to prevent burning. Serve immediately.

Notes:

• • To bake purple sweet potatoes: wash potatoes and pierce with a knife or fork in several places to keep the potatoes from exploding in the oven. Place prepared potatoes in a baking dish and cover with foil; bake for 1 hour. Cool purple sweet potatoes, then peel skin off and discard - the skin should be easy to remove by hand or with a paring knife (you’ll definitely want to protect your hands with disposable gloves).

  • DO NOT add meringue until just before serving - it’s highly hygroscopic and will become wet/watery if added too early.