Sweet Potato Pie Tart with Candied Pecans and Marshmallow Whipped Cream

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Serves: 9 servings

This sweet potato pie tart features a butter graham and pecan crust, a candied pecan topping and marshmallow fluff whipped cream. (Kate Wood / Wood and Spoon)

For the crust:

• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• ¾ cup finely chopped pecans
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup Kerrygold unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:

• 1 cup sweet potato puree (made from about 1 large sweet potato, see notes)
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 3 large eggs
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup sugar
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
• ¾ teaspoon ginger
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon cloves

For the candied pecans:

• 2½ tablespoons sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon Kerrygold unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups shelled pecan halves

For the marshmallow whipped cream:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 5 ounces (about 1 cup) marshmallow fluff

Instructions

To prepare the pie:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your crust: combine the graham cracker crumbs, pecans, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and stir to combine. Press the wet crumbs into the bottom and sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. I like to press a small amount of crumbs up the length of the sides first and then press the remaining into the bottom. Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are turning gold and the bottom is set.
2. Prepare your filling: In a large bowl, whisk together the sweet potato puree and evaporated milk. Add the egg and sugar, stirring just until combined. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Pour the filling into the prepared crust and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until the center of the pie is set and no longer really jiggly. Allow to cool to room temperature.

To prepare the pecans:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and lightly grease with cooking spray. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, salt and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, stir together the butter and vanilla and then toss in the pecans. Add the sugar mixture and toss to evenly coat the nuts. Spread the nuts out on the baking pan and bake for about 20 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Once dry and aromatic, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

To prepare the whipped cream:

1. In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream on medium speed until thickened and medium peaks form. Add the marshmallow fluff and continue whipping until thickened to a cloud-like consistency. Dollop on top of the pie and decorate with pecans as desired.

Notes

• To make sweet potato puree, peel and dice one large sweet potato and boil in a medium-sized pot of water until the potatoes are tender to the fork, about 10-15 minutes depending on the size of your potato pieces. Puree in a blender or food processor with 2-3 tablespoons of water, or more as needed to get a thick but smooth puree. Allow to cool prior to using in pie mixture.

Kate Wood’s recipes can be found on her Wood and Spoon blog and on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.