Description
This Purple Sweet Potato Pie with Swiss Meringue Topping combines the natural earthiness of vibrant purple sweet potatoes with a creamy, spiced filling and a light, fluffy Swiss meringue. Perfect for holiday celebrations or a unique dessert, this pie features a homemade flaky crust, a smooth sweet potato custard enriched with pumpkin pie spice, and a beautifully toasted meringue topping for a striking and delicious finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Pie Crust
- 1 perfect pie crust (homemade flaky pie crust recommended)
Sweet Potato Filling
- 1 pound Stokes purple sweet potatoes
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 3/4 cup evaporated milk
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (melted)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Swiss Meringue Topping
- 3 large egg whites (room temperature)
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Prepare Pie Crust: Prepare one half of your homemade flaky pie crust recipe, shape it into a disk, and chill it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to relax the dough.
- Roll and Fit Crust: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about 1/4 inch thickness and 2 inches wider than your pie pan. Transfer it to the pan, trim the excess dough, and crimp or decorate the edges as desired. Poke the bottom with a fork to prevent air bubbles.
- Chill Crust: Place the pie crust in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to prevent shrinking during baking. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Blind Bake Crust: Line the crust with parchment paper or foil, fill it with pie weights or dry beans/rice, and bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and bake an additional 5 minutes until the bottom starts to brown. Let it cool.
- Cook Sweet Potatoes: Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Prick the sweet potatoes with a fork and wrap them in foil. Bake on a sheet for about 1 hour until very soft.
- Make Sweet Potato Filling: Scoop the cooked sweet potato flesh into a blender and blend until smooth and creamy to make about 2 cups. In a large bowl, combine mashed sweet potato, brown sugar, eggs, evaporated milk, melted butter, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, and kosher salt. Mix until smooth.
- Fill Pie Crust: Pour the sweet potato mixture into the par-baked pie crust and spread evenly.
- Bake Pie: Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F (175°C) and bake for an additional 25-35 minutes until the edges are set and the center jiggles slightly. Cool the pie to room temperature for about 1 hour, then chill it for at least 2 hours before topping.
- Prepare Swiss Meringue: Set up a double boiler with simmering water. In a heat-safe bowl, whisk together egg whites, cream of tartar, and granulated sugar. Place the bowl over the simmering water and whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 160°F (71°C), approximately 3-4 minutes.
- Whip Meringue: Transfer the bowl to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form and the meringue is no longer warm, about 10-15 minutes. If not stiff enough, chill the bowl for 10 minutes and continue beating.
- Finish Pie: Evenly spread the Swiss meringue over the chilled sweet potato pie. Use a culinary torch to toast the meringue to a golden brown, creating a beautiful finish.
Notes
- Ensure the eggs and egg whites are at room temperature for better volume and stability in the filling and meringue.
- Blind baking the crust prevents it from becoming soggy once filled.
- Use a digital thermometer to monitor the meringue temperature closely while whisking over the double boiler.
- Chilling the pie before adding the meringue topping helps maintain structure and prevents melting.
- If you don’t have a culinary torch, you can place the meringue-topped pie under the broiler for 1-2 minutes watching carefully to prevent burning.
- This pie can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
