Crowd-Pleasing Sweet Potatoes

At the Thanksgiving table, no dish is more divisive than sweet potatoes. There are two camps: with marshmallows and without, and there’s no middle ground. This genius recipe bridges the divide by offering two different toppings, one sweet and one savory. To serve, divide the sweet potato mixture between two gratin dishes and add the toppings yourself. Alternatively, serve the sweet potatoes in their baking dish, and transfer the sage and pecan brown butter and the marshmallow cream topping to bowls and serve alongside, so guests can assemble their own.

Ingredients:

  • 4 large sweet potatoes, about 3 1/2 lb. (1.75 kg) total
  • 4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) (2 oz./60 g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup (4 fl. oz./125 ml) evaporated milk
  • 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • Kosher salt


For the sage and pecan brown butter:

  • 16 Tbs. (2 sticks) (8 oz./250 g) unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces
  • 30 fresh sage leaves
  • 3/4 cup (3 oz./90 g) toasted chopped pecans
  • Kosher salt

  • 1 batch Marshmallow Cream Topping

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 450°F (230°C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Using a fork, pierce each sweet potato 4 to 6 times and wrap separately with foil. Place on the prepared baking sheet and bake until a fork easily pierces the center of the potatoes, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Let stand until cool enough to handle.

Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C). Butter a 13-by-9-inch (33-by-23-cm) baking dish.

Remove the skin from the sweet potatoes and place the flesh in a food processor. Add the melted butter, eggs, evaporated milk and cinnamon and process until smooth. Season to taste with salt. Transfer the sweet potato mixture to the prepared baking dish and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 20 minutes.

To make the sage and pecan brown butter, in a fry pan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Continue to cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter is browned and foamy, 3 to 4 minutes more. Add the sage leaves and cook, stirring constantly, until they are dark green and crisp, about 1 minute. Stir in the pecans. Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt. Cover to keep warm.

Divide the sweet potato mixture between two small gratin dishes. Spoon the sage and pecan brown butter over one of the dishes. Top the other dish with the marshmallow cream topping and, using a kitchen torch and a sweeping motion, carefully brown the marshmallow until golden. Serve immediately. Serves 8.

Williams Sonoma Test Kitchen