Description
This Purple Sweet Potato Pie with Swiss Meringue Topping is a vibrant twist on the classic dessert, featuring naturally sweet and creamy purple sweet potatoes combined with warm pumpkin pie spices. Topped with a luscious, toasted Swiss meringue, this pie offers a beautiful presentation and a perfect balance of flavors for any festive occasion.
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, form it into a disk, and chill in the refrigerator 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 the dough to the pie pan, trim off the excess dough, and crimp or decorate the edges as desired. Poke the bottom of the crust with a fork to prevent air bubbles during baking.
- Chill Crust: Place the pie crust in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to prevent shrinking when baked. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Blind Bake Crust: Line the crust with parchment paper or aluminum foil, fill it with pie weights or dry beans/rice, and bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and lining, then bake an additional 5 minutes until the bottom begins to brown. Allow the crust to cool.
- Cook Sweet Potatoes: Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Prick the purple sweet potatoes several times with a fork and wrap them individually in foil. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for about 1 hour until very soft and easily pierced with a fork.
- Make Sweet Potato Filling: Once cooled, scoop the cooked sweet potato flesh into a blender and blend until smooth and creamy, yielding about 2 cups. In a large bowl, combine the mashed sweet potato, light brown sugar, eggs, evaporated milk, melted butter, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, and kosher salt. Mix all the ingredients until smooth and well incorporated.
- Fill Pie Crust: Pour the sweet potato filling into the par-baked pie crust, spreading it evenly with a spatula.
- Bake Pie: Bake the pie in the oven at 400°F for 15 minutes. Then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for an additional 25 to 35 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center still slightly jiggles. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature for about 1 hour, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before adding the topping.
- Prepare Swiss Meringue: Set up a double boiler with simmering water. In a heat-safe bowl, combine the egg whites, cream of tartar, and granulated sugar. Place the bowl over the simmering water and whisk constantly until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture reaches 160°F (71°C), about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Whip Meringue: Transfer the bowl to a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the mixture on high speed until stiff peaks form and the meringue cools down to room temperature, about 10 to 15 minutes. If the meringue is not stiff enough, chill the bowl for 10 minutes and continue whipping.
- Finish Pie: Spread the Swiss meringue evenly over the chilled sweet potato pie. Using a culinary torch, carefully toast the meringue topping to a golden brown, creating a beautiful toasted finish. Serve immediately or keep chilled until serving.
Notes
- For best results, use room temperature eggs for both filling and meringue to achieve smooth consistency and volume.
- Blind baking the crust ensures a crisp bottom and prevents sogginess from the moist filling.
- Toasting the meringue with a culinary torch adds both flavor and visual appeal; alternatively, you can briefly broil the meringue if you don’t have a torch.
- Store leftover pie covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Use a blender or food processor to puree the cooked sweet potatoes for the smoothest texture.
- Make sure the sweet potatoes are thoroughly cooked and soft to achieve the creamy filling.
