Sweet Potato Casserole
I cannot imagine Thanksgiving or Christmas without sweet potatoes. As long as I can remember, my mom and my grandmother made these each and every year. Their staple? The marshmallows of course! Over the years I've tried various recipes and this is possibly one of my favorites. Sweet potatoes with a crunchy, pecan crumble on top. And while you can top it with just regular 'ole marshmallows, I opted to make some from egg whites (like a meringue), so I could create these cute little dollops of holiday goodness.
The best part? This casserole IS SO EASY TO MAKE!
Ingredients:
Sweet Potatoes
3 cups (1 29-ounce can) sweet potatoes, drained and mashed
1/2 cup melted butter
1/3 cup milk (whole or skim - I used skim since I had it on hand!)
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, beaten
Pinch of table salt
Pecan Crumble Topping
5 tablespoons melted butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup flour
1 cup pecan pieces
Toasted Maple Marshmallows (Optional)
4 large egg whites
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter (usually in the spice section of your local market)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
Casserole & Pecan Crumble Topping
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a large mixing bowl, mash sweet potatoes.
Add the melted butter, milk, sugar, vanilla, beaten eggs, and pinch of salt, stirring until combined.
Pour in to a shallow baking dish or cast-iron skillet.
Combine butter, brown sugar, flour, and pecan pieces in a small mixing bowl and use your fingers to combine until you have a crumb-like texture.
Sprinkle pecan crumbs generously over top of casserole.
Bake for 35-45 minutes until top is golden brown and edges pull away from sides.
Let cool slightly before serving.
Maple Marshmallows
When your casserole is 5-10 minutes shy of being done, bring a small sauce pan, filled half-way with water to a simmer.
Place egg whites, maple syrup, and cream of tartar in a small, heat-proof bowl.
Set bowl over sauce pan of simmering water.
Using a hand mixer, whisk constantly until mixture is warm to the touch, around 3 to 4 minutes.
Remove bowl from water and transfer to bowl of stand mixer with whisk attachment.
Whip the mixture on high, until stiff, smooth and glossy, about 5 minutes.
Add vanilla and mix until combined.
Transfer to pastry bag or large Ziploc with corner snipped and pipe mixture on to casserole.
Create marshmallow dollops or spread over entire casserole.
Place under broiler for 1-2 minutes or until brown. Don't leave unattended or your end up with burnt marshmallows!
NOTE: You can opt to use regular marshmallows to cover top of casserole instead of recipe above, using broiler to toast/brown.
All Photos by Jonathan Stiers ©2015 | Casserole recipe adapted from Pinch of Yum | Maple Marshmallows from Half Baked Harvest
