Sweet Potato Pie with Chocolate Crumb Crust and Pouring Custard

By LRay

For best results, use yams, the dark orange variety of sweet potato.This recipe calls for a crushed cookie crust, but you can use a more traditional pie crust if you desire.

Ingredients

• FILLING:
• 3 Pounds yams
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup packed golden brown sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup half and half
• 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon ground mace
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
• CRUST:
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate wafer cookie crumbs &about 6 ounces)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• Coarsely chopped pistachios (garnish)
• POURING CUSTARD:
• Makes about 2 1/2 cups
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 8 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar

Preparation

Step 1

FILLING:

Preheat oven to 375ºF. Pierce yams with fork several times. Place on baking sheet and bake until tender, about 1 hour. Cool yams slightly. Peel and puree in processor.

Using electric mixer, cream 1/2 cup butter with sugar in large bowl until light. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in 3 cups yam puree (reserve andy remainder for another use), half and half and next 9 ingredients. (Filling can be prepared 1 day ahead; refrigerate. Let stand 1 hour at room temperature before continuing.)

CRUST:

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly butter 10-inch pie pan. Mix cookie crumbs and melted butter in bowl. Press mixture into bottom and up sides of prepared pan.

Pour pie filling into crust. Bake until center of pie is set, about 1 hour. Transfer to rack and cool completely. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead).

Cut pie into wedges. Transfer to plates. Pour custard around pie. Sprinkle custard with pistachios and serve.

POURING CUSTARD:

Place milk in heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add pod. Scald milk. Remove from heat. Cover and let steep 20 minutes.

Using electric mixer, beat yolks and sugar in medium bowl until pale yellow and slowly dissolving ribbon forms when beaters are lifted. Strain milk. Gradually beat into egg mixture. Return mixture to sauce pan and stir over low heat until custard thickens and leaves path on back of spoon when finger is drawn across, about 12 minutes; do not bowl. Stain into bowl. Refrigerate until cool, stirring occasionally. (Can be prepared 2 days ahead).