Sweet Potato Casserole

• 7 pounds sweet potatoes (6-8 medium)

• 1/2 cup (2.5 oz) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (3.5 oz) packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup (4 oz) pecans
• 5 Tbsp unsalted butter cut into 5 pieces and softened

• 5 Tbsp unsalted butter - melted
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 4 tsp juice from 1 lemon
• 0-4 Tbsp sugar
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 400 deg. Poke sweet potatoes several times with paring knife and space evenly on rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Bake potatoes, turning them once, until they are very tender and can be squeezed easily with tongs, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours for medium potatoes. When done they will squeeze all the way to the center with the tongs. If in doubt cut in half. Whitish marbling indicates not done - press back together, wrap in foil, continue roasting.
2. Remove potatoes from oven and cut in half lengthwise to let steam escape; cool at least 10 min. Reduce oven temp to 375 F.

1. While potatoes are baking, butter 9“x13” baking dish.
2. Pulse flour, brown sugar, and salt in food processor until blended, about four 1-second pulses.
3. Sprinkle butter pieces over flour mixture and pulse until crumbly mass forms, 6 to 8 1-second pulses.
4. Sprinkle nuts over mixture and pulse until combined, but some larger nut pieces remain 4 to 6 1-second pulses.
5. Transfer streusel to medium bowl and return empty workbowl to processor.

1. Once potatoes have cooled slightly, use spoon to scoop flesh into large bowl. You should have about 8 cups.
2. Transfer half of potato flesh to food processor. Break remaining potato flesh in bowl into coarse 1-inch chunks.
3. Add melted butter, salt, nutmeg, pepper, vanilla, and lemon juice to potatoes in food processor and process until smooth about 20 sec.
4. Taste for sweetness, then add up to 4 Tbsp sugar, if necessary.
5. Add yolks. With processor running, pour half-and-half through feed tube and processs until blended, about 20 sec.
6. Transfer to bowl with potato pieces and stir gently until combined.
7. Pour filling into prepared baking dish and spread into even layer. Sprinkle with streusel, breaking up any large pieces with fingers.
8. Bake until topping is well browned and filling is slightly puffy around edges, 40 to 45 min. Cool at least 10 min prior to serving.

Serves: 10-12        Total cook time: 3 hr = 1 3/4 hrs potatoes + 15 in cool down + 45 min casserole + 10 min cool
Source: Cook's Illustrated Nov/Dec 2005