Sweet Potato Pie

also called sweet potato pie · sweet potato custard pie · potato pie

The table

Bake the sweet potatoes rather than boiling them. Boiled, they carry water into the custard, and a wet custard never sets firm enough to cut a slice that holds its shape.
2 lb(900 g)sweet potatoesbake whole 400°F 55 minmash with the butterwhisk the custard smoothpour into the shell, bake 350°F 45 min
4 Tbs(55 g)unsalted butter
3/4 cup(150 g)light brown sugar
3large eggs
3/4 cup(180 mL)evaporated milk
1 tspground cinnamon
1/2 tspground nutmeg
2 tspvanilla extract
1/2 tspfine sea salt
1(9-in, blind-baked)pie crust
Cool it right down before it is cut. A warm slice slumps the whole difference between this and a pumpkin pie — a lighter stringier more fibrous set — only shows up cold
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.11 things to get out.

Before anything else

2bake whole 400°F 55 min

3mash with the butter

goes in with what step 2 made

4whisk the custard smooth

goes in with what step 3 made

5pour into the shell, bake 350°F 45 min

goes in with what step 4 made

Cooking it

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 1 hr 40 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
none givenof the steps that give a time

2 of the 4 steps never say how long they take, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 2 hr 30 min.

  1. bake whole 400°F 55 min

    55 minwalk awayfrom the start

  2. mash with the butter

    not timed55 min in

  3. whisk the custard smooth

    not timed55 min in

  4. pour into the shell, bake 350°F 45 min

    45 minwalk away55 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them.

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Sweet Potato Pie
>> category: Custards & Puddings
>> tags: sweet potato, custard, pie, dessert, southern
>> counters: Meat and Three
>> aka: sweet potato pie, sweet potato custard pie, potato pie
>> servings: 8
>> time: 2 hr 30 min
>> pairs-with: all-butter-pie-crust, peach-cobbler, banana-pudding
>> step.1: Bake the sweet potatoes rather than boiling them. Boiled, they carry water into the custard, and a wet custard never sets firm enough to cut a slice that holds its shape.
>> step.2: bake whole 400°F 55 min
>> step.3: mash with the butter
>> step.4: whisk the custard smooth
>> step.5: pour into the shell, bake 350°F 45 min

Bake the sweet potatoes rather than boiling them. Boiled, they carry water into the custard, and a wet custard never sets firm enough to cut a slice that holds its shape.

Bake @sweet potatoes{2%lb}(900 g) whole at 400°F (205°C) for ~bake{55%min}, until they collapse and weep at the ends.

Mash @&(~1)baked sweet potatoes{} with @unsalted butter{4%Tbs}(55 g), skins pulled off.

Whisk @&(~1)mashed sweet potato{} with @light brown sugar{3/4%cup}(150 g), @large eggs{3}, @evaporated milk{3/4%cup}(180 mL), @ground cinnamon{1%tsp}, @ground nutmeg{1/2%tsp}, @vanilla extract{2%tsp}, @fine sea salt{1/2%tsp}.

Pour @&(~1)sweet potato custard{} into @pie crust{1}(9-in, blind-baked) and bake at 350°F (175°C) for ~bake{45%min}.

Cool it right down before it is cut. A warm slice slumps, and the whole difference between this and a pumpkin pie — a lighter, stringier, more fibrous set — only shows up cold.