A fresh take on sweet potato pie with Asian flavors and a riot of textures - creamy, crunchy, and chewy!
We asked our brilliant friend Amanda of From Me to Vuu for a fresh take on sweet potato pie, and boy, did she deliver! A fail proof no-bake crust made from crushed gingersnap cookies provides a base for the smooth sweet potato filling, made creamier with the addition of coconut milk - and spiced just right with cinnamon and vanilla. You could stop there, but for a showstopping pie top it off with warm and chewy boba soaked in a ginger and brown sugar syrup, a jasmine marshmallow meringue (torch it a bit to make it nice and toasty!), and finished with additional crushed cookies. *chef's kiss*
RECIPE STATS
Prep Time = 50 minutes
Cook Time = 50 minutes
Yield = 8-10 servings
INGREDIENTS
Gingersnap Cookie Crust
9 oz premade gingersnap cookies (plus 2 extra cookies for decoration)
1 1/2 tbsp dark brown sugar
4 tbsp salted butter melted
Sweet Potato Filling
1 lb sweet potatoes peeled and diced into 1" cubes
1/2 cup salted butter room temperature
1 cup white sugar
2 tsp cornstarch
1/4 cup full-fat coconut milk
2 large eggs
1 tsp saigon cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla extract
Marshmallow Topping
2 large egg whites
pinch of kosher salt
3 tbsp white sugar
1 cup marshmallow fluff
1/8 tsp jasmine extract
Ginger-Brown Sugar Boba
1/2 cup boba
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup water
2" piece ginger sliced into thin pieces
TOOLS
GIR Skinny Spatula
GIR Peeler I-Handle Serrated
GIR Perforated Masher
GIR Ultimate Whisk
Glass Pie Pan
Reusable Piping Bag
Piping Tip
Culinary Cooking Torch
DIRECTIONS
For the crust:
- Preheat an oven to 350 F. Process gingersnap cookies in a food processor until it forms fine crumbs. Add crumbs to a medium mixing bowl and add the melted butter and brown sugar. Mix well and add to a 9.5" glass pie pan. Press the crumb down on the bottom of the pan and up the sides evenly. You do not need to bake this prior to adding the filling.
For the filling:
- Peel the sweet potatoes and then cut them into a 1" dice. Place them in a saucepan filled with cold water. Place pot over medium-high heat until they start to boil and then turn them down to simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes or until fork tender. Drain them into a colander and then place them into a large mixing bowl. Mash the sweet potatoes with a masher or heavy duty whisk.
- Add in the room temperature butter and whisk well to combine. Add the rest of the filling ingredients. Whisk well together. Pour mixture into the prepared crust and bake for 45-50 minutes until the pie has puffed and the filling jiggles together in one piece. Allow to cool completely in the fridge or overnight if you are prepping ahead.
For the jasmine marshmallow meringue:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the egg whites and a pinch of salt. Whip with a whisk attachment until frothy. Add the sugar and beat on high speed until stiff peaks form. Add in the jasmine extract. Mix 1/3 of the meringue into the marshmallow fluff until all the lumps are gone. Then carefully fold in the rest of the meringue into the fluff. Place into a piping bag fitted with a large round tip (Ateco 806).
For the ginger-brown sugar boba:
- Bring the brown sugar and water to a simmer in a small saucepan with the ginger. Simmer for 5-7 minutes until the mixture is spicy. In another saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add the boba and cook according to package directions. Rinse boba under cool water. Drain well then place them into the ginger-brown sugar syrup.
Assembly:
- Pipe small dollops around the pie's edges. Add one larger dollop in the middle. Crumble extra gingersnap cookies on top. Pipe a few more dollops and add another crumbled cookie. Top the edges of the pie with a few boba and ginger syrup. Add more boba while serving.
Notes
Boba pearls are best the day they're made. We recommend keeping it at room temperature until serving for the perfect chewy texture!
Did you make this recipe?
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