Sweet Potato Soufflé, Sweet Potato Casserole, Candied Sweet Potatoes. All delicious, but are they really different? And what about the great topping debate?
Every year my family battles it out over mini-marshmallows versus praline crumbles. To make the competition even more stiff, throw in the tasty corn flake crust I discovered last Thanksgiving. Oy vey.
I had an Aha! moment while dining out recently that may have changed my opinion forever. An inspired side dish from my favorite Atlanta chef: sweet potato casserole topped with homemade marshmallows, bacon crumbles (!!!), and chives, baked in an individual cast iron skillet. Yes, I just said bacon crumbles. It was mind blowing.
Needless to say, I knew immediately that a version of it would be making an appearance at this year's holiday table. I gave it a little test run Saturday to make sure it was up to speed for the big day. "Fakesgiving," anyone? Minus a tiny little incident involving bacon and the smoke alarm (watch out for that broiler, folks), I'd say it was a smashing success.
I can't wait to make it again very soon, but next time with the bacon on the souffle instead of in the trash can... Will sweet potatoes be making an appearance at your holiday feasts? If so, how will you prepare them?
Sweet Potato Soufflé
Serves 6 to 8
4 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes
1/2 cup maple syrup (or to taste)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1/4 cup half and half
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt
Homemade marshmallows
Bacon crumbles, for garnish (optional)
Snipped chives, for garnish (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roast sweet potatoes over an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet for approximately one hour, or until tender. Cut in half and allow to cool until able to touch. Peel and mash sweet potatoes (this should yield a scant 5 cups).
Lower oven temperature to 350 degrees.
In a stand mixer, combine mashed sweet potatoes and maple syrup (adjusting to personal taste and for the sweetness of the potatoes. Keep in mind that marshmallows are very sweet, too.) Add butter, half and half, eggs, cinnamon, and salt until well combined. Pour mixture into a 10-inch cast iron skillet. Bake for 30 minutes.
Remove casserole from the oven and increase heat to BROIL. Top the casserole with marshmallows. Cook, WATCHING CAREFULLY, until the marshmallows just begin to melt and brown, about 1 - 2 minutes.
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(Images: Nealey Dozier)
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I like baking the sweet potatoes, cutting them into large chunks (3-4 per potato), then dousing them with a melted butter/brownsugar sauce. Candied sweet potatoes, a la my mom!
I made the sweet potato and sage gratin last year, and it was a hit. My sister and mom already requested I make it again.
http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/side-dish/recipe-sweet-potato-and-sage-gratin-018999
As far as I'm concerned there is no debate about this- mini-marshmallows or bust! Every year my mom begs not to put them on there and every year she loses :) And I hope its a southern thing but candied yams? Yuck! It should be a fluffy sweet potato casserole sweet enough to mistake it for dessert!
Marshmallows all the way!
Marshmallows used to be my favorite, but now I can't go quite as sweet on sweet potatoes. I do very much like a walnut and brown sugar crumble though if I am doing the mash.
Another way I started preparing them was to toss them in a little bit of olive oil and honey before roasting and top with sea salt, still plenty sweet but a little easier on the waistline.
I used to be a strictly marshmallow only girl but my husband won me over with his sweet potato souffle that has the brown sugar/butter mixture on top. I love the crunchiness of it!
Sweet potato tastes great with chipotle chiles & cream mixed in too. Why do you need eggs in this recipe? I'm just curious, because I would prefer to leave them out and wonder what the effect would be. Mashmallows all the way!
I'm usually turned off by sweet potato dishes like this, because of the store bought mini marshmallows, but THAT is a beautiful sweet potato casserole.
This is so pretty! I don't like sweet things as main dishes/sides but I'd be tempted by this.
Neither my husband or I are into sweet potato casseroles, and since we're hosting for the first time this year and want our guests to get their sweet potato quota, we're having sweet potato fries for an appetizer instead.
I love the walnut, butter, brown sugar crumble and I make that every thanksgiving but I also add toasted coconut and flakes of sea salt of that salty sweet combo.
As a non-American can I just say ew.
@bbk- you can, but don't knock it till you try it! ; )
As a canadian, we didn't have it at t-giving either growing up but i enjoy it now....desserty, but pretty darn good!
Thanks for sharing Nealy! Like that idea of adding the bacon- a little smoky along with the sweet sounds really good!
I made this yesterday, but I used canned sweet potatoes. It still turned out awesome! Bacon is a wonderful addition to this recipe.
My mom was craving turkey, or was drunk, or something, and we did a "Fakesgiving" on a non-Thanksgiving, too. I thought it was one of her corny mom-isms, I didn't know it was a "thing".
I know this was posted long ago, but I just made it last night so I thought I'd weigh in. It's not a spring-y recipe at all, but I had sweet potatoes and homemade marshmallows on hand so I made it and it was good! I baked it in ramekins rather than a cast iron pan, and I left out the bacon and chives. I halved the recipe since there are just two of us, but added an extra egg for some extra protein. It made 5 - 8 oz ramekins that way. I'm eating the leftovers for breakfast. Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe!