“To be honest, this recipe came about as an alternative to that sickly sweet marshmallow monstrosity most of us in the South have come to know and love or hate. I hated it! But I love sweet potatoes. These are silky smooth, creamy, very easy to make and a hit at Thanksgiving and Christmas. I started adding bourbon when my Indiana in-laws expressed interest in learning more about our bourbon culture, and realized it should have always been included. It’s fun to cook with bourbon, both for the woody, spicy flavor and aroma it brings to a dish and the opportunity to sip while you stir. Enjoy!”
Ingredients
- 4 pounds garnet sweet potatoes from Huber’s Orchard & Winery
- ¾ cup (6 tablespoons) unsalted Kerrygold butter
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup + 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup, separated
- 4 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon your favorite bourbon (or to taste!), separated
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Coarse salt and ground pepper to taste
- Optional: ½ cup pecans, toasted with butter (My mom is allergic, so we serve a nut-free version.)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°F. Prick sweet potatoes all over with a fork. Place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until very tender when pierced with a knife and beginning to ooze, about 1 hour.
When cool enough to handle, halve sweet potatoes. Scoop out flesh and discard skins. Transfer to a food processor or beat with a stand or hand mixer until very smooth.
Heat cream and butter in a small saucepan over low heat until butter melts, stirring occasionally. Gradually stir hot cream mixture into hot potatoes.
Mix in ¼ cup syrup, 4 tablespoons bourbon (or more, to taste), zest and all spices. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to your serving dish.
Combine 3 tablespoons syrup and 1 teaspoon bourbon and drizzle over the top of the dish. If using toasted pecans, add over top and serve.
Do ahead: Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm in microwave or oven. Add maple bourbon drizzle before serving. If using toasted pecans, also wait to add these until right before serving to maintain their crunch.
