Description
This Purple Sweet Potato Pie with Swiss Meringue Topping is a vibrant and delicious twist on the classic sweet potato pie. Made with naturally colorful Stokes purple sweet potatoes, this pie features a creamy, spiced filling layered into a flaky homemade crust, then topped with a light and fluffy toasted Swiss meringue. Perfect for a festive dessert or a special occasion, it combines comforting flavors with a stunning presentation.
Ingredients
Scale
Pie Crust
- 1 perfect pie crust (homemade flaky pie crust recommended)
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 it in the fridge 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 pan, trim excess dough, and crimp or decorate the edges as desired. Poke the bottom with a fork to prevent air bubbles.
- Chill Crust: Place the pie crust in the freezer for at least 30 minutes to prevent shrinking during baking. Preheat the oven to 425°F while chilling.
- Blind Bake Crust: Line the crust with parchment paper or foil and fill with pie weights or dry beans/rice. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and bake an additional 5 minutes until the bottom begins to brown. Let cool.
- Cook Sweet Potatoes: Preheat the oven to 400°F. Prick the sweet potatoes with a fork and wrap each in foil. Place them on a baking sheet and bake for about 1 hour until very soft.
- Make Sweet Potato Filling: Scoop the cooked sweet potato flesh into a blender and blend until smooth and creamy, about 2 cups. In a large bowl, combine the mashed sweet potato, brown sugar, eggs, evaporated milk, melted butter, vanilla extract, pumpkin pie spice, and kosher salt. Mix until smooth and well combined.
- Fill Pie Crust: Pour the sweet potato mixture into the par-baked pie crust, spreading evenly.
- Bake Pie: Bake at 400°F for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for an additional 25-35 minutes until the edges are set and the center jiggles slightly. Cool to room temperature for about 1 hour, then chill for at least 2 hours before topping.
- Prepare Swiss Meringue: Set up a double boiler with simmering water. In a heat-safe bowl, whisk together the egg whites, cream of tartar, and granulated sugar. Place the bowl over the simmering water and whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 160°F, about 3-4 minutes.
- Whip Meringue: Transfer the bowl to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until stiff peaks form and the meringue is no longer warm, about 10-15 minutes. If the meringue isn’t stiff enough, chill the bowl for 10 minutes and continue beating.
- Finish Pie: Spread the Swiss meringue evenly over the chilled sweet potato pie. Use a culinary torch to toast the meringue to a golden brown, creating a beautiful finish. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Notes
- Ensure the sweet potatoes are very soft for a smooth filling.
- Room temperature eggs help the filling blend evenly.
- Chilling the pie before adding the meringue helps the topping set properly.
- A culinary torch is ideal for toasting meringue evenly without baking the pie further.
- Pie crust can be store-bought if short on time, but homemade flaky crust offers the best texture and flavor.
