Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Roll out dough on a floured flat surface (cutting board, marble slab or dishtowel-topped countertop) and lay it out into a nine-inch pie plate, pinching up the sides and crimping decoratively.
To make pie filling:
In a medium bowl, beat eggs with hand mixer until just blended. Add brown sugar, corn syrup, melted butter, two tablespoons of the bourbon, cornstarch, vanilla and salt. Mix well with hand mixer or spoon until completely blended. Stir in pecans and pour filling into prepared crust.
Cook for 70 to 80 minutes or until mostly set in middle when you give it a jiggle. Let cool on rack.
Whip whipping cream with hand mixer at high speed until soft peaks form. Add sugar, remaining two teaspoons bourbon, mint flavoring and mix in. Spread mixture on cooled pie, leaving pecans showing around edges. Decorate with springs of fresh mint if you like.
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Pumpkin pie is classic for holiday meals, but I adore sweet potato pie even more. Similar in its dense dark richness, it also comes with all those beta-carotene benefits plus vitamin C, potassium and calcium. Don’t be shocked at the lard crust. Its flaky texture is delightful with the pie, great with fruit and sweet potato pies. If you use good-quality lard, it offers vitamin D and is better for you than butter or vegetable shortening. But feel free to substitute a favorite alternative crust.
Best-Ever Sweet Potato Pie
This recipe was adapted from Big Mama’s Old Black Pot (Stoke Gabriel Enterprises, 1987) by Ethel Dixon.
Makes one nine-inch pie.
Ingredients:
2 medium to large sweet potatoes (1 ½ lbs.)
For crust:
1 ½ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
½ cup chilled lard
¼ cup water
For filling:
¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1 12-oz. can evaporated milk
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Scrub sweet potatoes, trim pointy ends off and bake on a tray for about an hour or so or until soft. Lower oven temp to 350 degrees.
