Pecan and Brûléed Meringue Sweet Potato Casserole

Lately it seems I want to eat a sweet potato almost everyday. And rather than wait for lunch or dinner to satisfy my craving, sometimes I have them for breakfast. If you have never had jammy eggs and a baked sweet potato as your first meal of the day, well you don't know what you are missing. A breakfast of champions or a champion wanna-be for sure! Rather than served baked sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving this year I made a new sweet potato dish. A Pecan and Meringue Sweet Potato Casserole. Because, like it really wouldn't be Thanksgiving without some kind of sweet potato on the table. Right? While this overly adorned and loaded casserole may not be something someone should be eating for breakfast, I couldn't stop dreaming about how incredibly swoonworthy and scrumptious it was. My version of a vision of sugar plums. So yes, I woke up the day after Thanksgiving and had jammy eggs and some of this sweet potato casserole for breakfast. No judgments please. I promise not to judge any of you eating any leftover pie before noon!

I could have made the Sweet Potato Casserole with only the Pecan Topping. Or I could have made it with only the Brûléed Meringue topping. Or I could have made with the Pecan Topping and Marshmallows. Or just with the Marshmallows. But in the spirit of sometimes more is better, this casserole has both a Pecan Topping and a Brûléed Meringue. This is definitely one of those sometimes.

We had a somewhat non-traditional Thanksgiving here this year. Most of the traditional sides and grilled ribeyes. For someone who still remembers, or rather still feels the angst, of a Thanksgiving long ago when the meal was devoid of turkey (and all the sides), I surprised even my turkey loving self when I said we go turkey-less this year. Could it have been weeks and weeks of eating chicken sandwiches that caused me to give up fowl this year? Maybe. Sometimes change is good. One thing is for certain, this Pecan and Brûléed Meringue Sweet Potato Casserole will not only be on all future Thanksgiving dinner menus, it will more than likely be making appearances at a Sunday and/or gathering of friends dinner in the weeks and months ahead. Thanksgiving and holidays shouldn't be the only days to enjoy a sweet potato casserole.

One of the best things about a casserole is it can be made the night before. With the exception of the Brûléed Meringue topping, this one is a perfect make ahead dish.

Nothing deepens the flavor of vegetables like roasting them. Forget the microwave, forget peeling and boiling them. For the absolutely most deeply flavored sweet potato casserole the sweet potatoes need to, must be, should be roasted. When buying your sweet potatoes try buying ones having a similar size and weight so they bake evenly. These larger sized sweet potatoes baked for approximately 65 minutes in a preheated 400 degree (F) oven. 

Once the sweet potatoes have cooled, you can scoop out all of their deliciousness into a large bowl. After first mashing with a fork, use a hand held mixer to blend them until smooth. All of the remaining casserole ingredients can be whisked in.

I can't even begin to tell you how luscious this sweet potato mixture is. It took all of my will power not to just eat off a spoon.

Just like roasting the sweet potatoes add deeper flavor, toasting the pecans before adding them into the Pecan Topping. After the pecan topping is sprinkled on the casserole you have a choice. Either cover and refrigerate for baking up later in the day (or the next day) or baking in preheated 350 degree (F) oven. Hint: When baking casserole dishes chilled in the refrigerator, remove from the oven at least 20 minutes before placing in the oven.

The Brûléed Meringue is the third layer of flavor and makes for a show stopping finish. You can pipe out the meringue in a pastry bag or just swirl it on with a spoon. 

This Pecan and Brûléed Meringue Sweet Potato Casserole is almost irresistible when put out on the table. From the creaminess of the sweet potatoes, to the spiced crunch of the pecan topping, to the right amount of sweetness from the meringue, it is beyond scrumptious. 

When we think of sweet potato casseroles we generally associate them with a roasted turkey or chicken. Or we pigeon hole them into a holiday only side dish. Not only does the Pecan and Brûléed Meringue Sweet Potato Casserole pair perfectly with grilled steaks, it's a dinner party worthy side dish! I am already thinking a dinner of grilled steaks, a mixed green salad, this sweet potato casserole, and a few bottles of great wine would make for a memorable, beautiful New Year's Eve dinner. 

Recipe
Pecan and Meringue Sweet Potato Casserole 
Serves 8-10

Ingredients
Sweet Potato Casserole
4 pounds garnet sweet potatoes
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, cooled slightly
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (110g) light brown sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream (or whole milk or evaporate milk)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Pecan Topping
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly or cut into small cubes at room temperature
1 cup (220 g) light brown sugar
1 cup (130 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup pecan halves, toasted, then coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Italian Meringue
1 cup caster or granulated sugar
1/3 cup water
3 large egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
Sweet Potato Casserole
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F). Lightly butter an 8"x11" baking dish. Set aside.
2. Place sweet potatoes on a large baking sheet. Bake for 55-65 minutes or until knife tender. Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle.
3. Scrape the baked sweet potatoes into a large bowl. Mash with a fork. Then using hand beaters, blend until smooth.
4. Add in melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, whipping cream, cinnamon, and kosher salt. Whisk until smooth.
5. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish.

Pecan Topping.
1. In a medium sized bowl, blend together the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, ginger, kosher salt and pecans. Pour on the melted butter (if using) or alternately add in the cubes of butter, mixing until well blending. Note: It should be able to have a crumble texture when pinched with your fingers.
2. Sprinkled the pecan topping mixture over the sweet potato casserole.
3. Cover and chill until ready to bake.
4. Alternately place the casserole dish in a preheated 350 degree (F) oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Note: Baking time for the sweet potato casserole chilled in the refrigerator will increase by up to 10 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven. (During the last 10-15 minutes of baking, begin making the meringue.)

Italian Meringue
1. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, add in the egg whites and cream of tartar. Mix briefly to combine. Set aside.
2. In a small heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Over medium heat, stir only until the sugar has dissolved. Continue to cook the sugar-water mixture until it reaches a temperature of 235 degrees (F) on a candy thermometer (approximately 4-5 minutes). 
3. Begin whipping the egg whites on medium speed so they are lightly whipped and foamy by time the sugar-water mixture reaches 240 degrees (F). As soon as the mixture reaches 240 degrees, remove the pot from the heat and begin to slowly pour the hot sugar syrup along the sides of the mixing bowl. Increase speed to medium-high, add in salt and vanilla, and continue whipping until the meringue almost quadruples in volume and reaches a medium peak (approximately 3-4 minutes.
4. Prepare a pastry bag fitted with an assortment of tips (e.g., open star, closed star, French star, round). Divide the meringue between the bags. Pipe meringue on top of the baked sweet potato casserole.
5. Using a kitchen torch, brûlée the meringue to your desired state of brown. 
6. Serve and enjoy.

Notes: (1) Instead of topping the Sweet Potato Casserole with the Brûléed Meringue, top with large marshmallows. Toast marshmallow with a kitchen torch. (2) Or instead of topping with Brûléed Meringue or marshmallows, serve the casserole only with the Pecan Topping. (3) If making for a smaller number of guests, this recipe can easily be halved.