The Best Sweet Potato Pie

This will be my 11th Thanksgiving in the U.S.  This is for sure a date to celebrate and share with family. A homemade Sweet Potato Pie is precisely what I would love to share with you.

I personally have a lot to be thankful for… And I truly am.  I am thankful for my family – the focus of my life. All the material things that I have been blessed with.  Friends that brighten my life and make me smile. Readers that spend their time here and support me…

But especially, I am grateful to God and to/for His precious Son, to whom I owe everything that I have and all that I am. May His innumerable blessings be upon you…

From my family to yours, we wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving!!!

P.S: Eat a lot of sweet potato pie!!! 🙂

Sweet Potato Pie

(Sweet Potato Pie recipe adapted from Leah Chase’s, from the Famous Dooky Chase’s Restautant in New Orleans)

Serves 8

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

1 cup all-purpose flour (for a gluten-free version, use a gluten-free flour instead)

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped (it will add great flavor to the crust and crunchness)

5 tablespoons vegetable shortening (for a flakier crust and it’s also dairy-free)

1/2 cup ice-cold water (please, add 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to the water)*

* Vinegar helps prevent the formation of gluten which makes for a tough crust).

OR 1 (9-inch) prepared frozen pie shell, thawed and baked according to the instructions on the package.

For the Filling:

(If using shallow pie pans or prepared frozen pie shells, reduce ingredients to half)

4 large sweet potatoes, peeled, boiled until tender, and drained

1-1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon plus extra to sprinkle

1/4 teaspoon freshly grounded nutmeg

2 large eggs, at room temperature and slightly beaten

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk (for a dairy-free version, omit it)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon orange rinds

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (for a dairy-free version, omit it)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450º F (232 degrees C).

2. In a medium bowl, stir flour and salt together. Then, add the pecans. Cut in shortening until it is in small, pea-sized lumps. Slowly add the ice-cold water with vinegar and mix into a stiff paste. Mold as a ball and wrap it in plastic wrap. Let dough rest for at least 1 hour in the fridge (the dough will relax in order for it to be on its best behavior when you’re rolling it out). Unwrap.

3. On a well-floured surface, roll out the dough into a 10-inch circle and place into a 9-inch pie pan. Flute the edges with your fingers. Prick the bottom with a fork several times.

4. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the crust is set and beginning to brown slightly. Remove pie pan from the oven and let it cool.

5. If you want to decorate the pie as shown in the picture, double the amount of ingredients in the crust recipe and separate the extra dough to cut leaves with cookie cutters. Once pie pan is filled with the filling, arrange cut leaves on the edges, pressing a bit, brush decorations with a lightly beaten egg that has been thinned with 1/2 teaspoon of milk or water, and bake pie. The crusts on the center of the pie have to be baked on a separate baking sheet. For this, brush them with a lightly beaten egg that has been thinned with 1/2 teaspoon of milk or water, and bake at 350º F for about 8-10 minutes. Set aside to decorate the center once the pie is baked and filling is set.

6. To make the filling:  Lower the oven temperature to 350º F (180 degrees C). Mash the cooked potatoes (when they are still warm) with a fork or potato masher.  Let cool. Add in the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg; mix well.

7. In a separate bowl, whisk in the eggs. Combine with the condensed milk, vanilla, orange rinds, and melted butter.  Add to the sweet potato mixture, stirring until smooth.  Pour filling into the pre-baked pie shell.  Sprinkle cinnamon (Arrange leaf decorations on the edges – if desired, pressing a bit. Brush decorations with beaten eggs. The extra leaves to decorate the center of the pie have to be baked in a separate baking pan. Brush them with a lightly beaten egg that has been thinned with 1/2 teaspoon of milk, and bake at 350º F for about 8-10 minutes.  Set aside to decorate the center once pie is baked and filling is set).

8. Bake pie for 30-35 minutes or until the filling is set and the edges of the crust have browned. Decorate pie and serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Note: The dough can be made in advance. In this case, form into a disk and wrap it in plastic; then, chill for one hour. It can also be kept refrigerated for several days and even frozen.