SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE INSPIRED BY FRIENDS

For the Simple Sweet Potato Casserole

Preheat the oven to 300 °F with a convection fan (or 325 °F without fan). Grease a 9x13 pan with nonstick spray.

Fill a large pot of water and season with salt.

Add the sweet potatoes to the pot and bring the water to a boil.

Turn the heat down to a simmer and cover the pot. Cook the potatoes until completely tender, about 18-20 minutes.

Drain the potatoes and transfer them to a large bowl.

Using a potato masher, mash the cooked potatoes until completely smooth.

Add the sugar, butter, the remaining salt, and vanilla extract to the bowl and fold to combine.

Spread the mixture into an even layer in the 9x13 pan. Add the marshmallow to the top in one layer.

Bake the casserole for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and heated through.

For the Babish Sweet Potato Casserole

Fill a large container ⅔ of the way full with water. Insert a sous vide cooker and set the temperature to 170 °F.

Preheat the oven to 325 °F. Grease a 9x13 pan with room temperature butter.

Transfer the cut sweet potatoes and cinnamon sticks to a silicone sous vide-safe bag or vacuum-seal bag. Remove all of the air from the bag and seal.

Once preheated, add the potato bag to the hot water and cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, brown the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, about 10 minutes. Reserve until ready to use.

Remove the potatoes from the bag and transfer them to a large bowl. Combine the sweet potatoes, reserved browned butter, egg yolks, brown sugar, heavy cream, and seasonings.

Transfer the filling to a bowl of a food processor. Process the potatoes until smooth, about 60 seconds. Work in batches if necessary.

Pour the sweet potato filling into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the sweet potato filling is warmed through and set.

Meanwhile, make the Marshmallow Topping (see recipe below).

Once the sweet potato filling is ready, sprinkle an even layer of the Pecan Streusel on the potato filling, then spread or pipe the marshmallow topping over the top.

Toast the marshmallow immediately using a torch, or allow the marshmallow to set for 30-45 minutes, increase the oven temperature to 350 °F, then bake for 10-15 minutes until the marshmallow is golden brown.

Allow the casserole to cool for 5 minutes before serving.

For the Pecan Streusel

In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, flour, salt, and butter and fold together until the mixture resembles sand.

Add the pecans and fold to combine.

Reserve until ready to use.

For the Marshmallow Topping

Sprinkle the powdered gelatin over water in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Let the mixture sit for at least 5 minutes to hydrate.

In a high-sided but narrow pot, combine the remaining water, whisky, sugar, and corn syrup. Cover the pot with a lid and bring the mixture to a simmer.

Once simmering, remove the lid and continue cooking the sugar syrup until it reaches 255 °F. Turn off the heat and add a splash (about ½ oz) of whisky to the sugar syrup.

Meanwhile, prepare a water bath in a small pot.

Once the sugar syrup has come to temperature, pour it into the bowl of a stand mixer.

Allow the syrup to cool to 212°F, this will prevent the gelatin from denaturing.

Meanwhile, melt the gelatin mixture over the prepared water bath.

Add the melted gelatin to the slightly cooled sugar syrup and whip until bright white and fluffy.

Optionally, transfer the marshmallow topping into a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Use immediately.