Five-Spice Sweet Potato Pie

| Nik Sharma
Five-Spice Sweet Potato Pie

I've learned to equate sweet potato pie with comfort food because of its simple yet complex delicious flavors that with every bite invokes a pleasurable experience that reminds me of all the great seasonal flavors that come with fall weather

Pie Crust

  • 11/4 cup ( 5 1/4 ounces) whole-wheat pastry flour and a little extra flour for rolling out the dough
  • 2 tbsp ice water
  • 2 tbsp vodka, chilled
  • 6 tbsp (2 7/8 ounces) unsalted butter, chopped
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tbsp raw brown sugar
  1. Pulse the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor until completely combined.
  2. Drop the chilled butter pieces into the processor and pulse until evenly distributed and combined. You might need to occasionally rub the sides of the processor down to allow the butter to combine with all the dry ingredients.
  3. Transfer the contents to a large mixing bowl (preferably chilled) and sprinkle the vodka and water over the flour. Fold and bring the dough together to form one large ball, using a silicone spatula.
  4. Cover the dough with cling film and refrigerate for one hour before use.
  5. Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and allow it to sit on the counter for 10 minutes.
  6. Preheat the oven to 350F and place a rack in the center over the ovn a large mixing bowl, whisk all the ingredients together to form a smooth mixture. The sugar should be completely dissolved.
    2. Transfer the filing into the partially baked pie crust, tap gently to level the filling and to remove any trapped air bubbles. Return the pie to the oven and bake for another 35-40 minutes or until the sides of the pie are firm and the center is slightly soft (The center should jiggle slightly when the pie is gently shaken). Remove and allow to cool to room temperature. The pie can be served warm by itself or with a dollop of lightly whipped sweetened creme fraiche.en.
  7. Roll out the dough into a 12" circle and carefully transfer over a pie pan. Gently press the dough to fit the pan and trim off any excess dough that is hanging over the edges. With your fingers, crimp the edges of the pastry. Cover the pastry with loosely with cling film and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
  8. Just before baking the pie, line the edges of the pastry with aluminum foil. Place a piece of parchment paper (cut to size) in the center of the pan and place the pie beads/weights/chain/ dried beans. Bake the shell for 15 minutes.
  9. Remove and discard the aluminum foil. Then lift the pie beads out using the parchment paper.
  10. For the sweet potato filling and final pie preparation read instructions below.

    Five-Spice Sweet Potato Pie Filling

    • 2 tbsp dark unsulphured molasses
    • 1/4 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 tsp ginger powder
    • 1 tsp 5-spice powder mix
    • 1 tsp cornflour
    • 2/3 cup whole milk
    • 2 tbsp butter, melted
    • 2 tbsp whiskey
    • 1 tsp madgascar bourbon vanilla extract
    • 3/4 cup raw dark brown sugar
    • 3 large eggs and one large egg yolk
    • 2 cup sweet potato puree
    1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk all the ingredients together to form a smooth mixture. The sugar should be completely dissolved.
    2. Transfer the filing into the partially baked pie crust, tap gently to level the filling and to remove any trapped air bubbles. Return the pie to the oven and bake for another 35-40 minutes or until the sides of the pie are firm and the center is slightly soft (The center should jiggle slightly when the pie is gently shaken). Remove and allow to cool to room temperature. The pie can be served warm by itself or with a dollop of lightly whipped sweetened creme fraiche.

    For the full post, visit A Brown Table.