Meringue and Streusel-Topped Sweet Potatoes

Submitted by Sharlene~W

"I found this recipe in Cooking Light. I made a few changes and came up with the first "candied yams" dish my family really liked. Not too sweet. Beautiful presentation and wonderful flavor with the meringue trellised across top, but you could easily sprinkle a handful of mini marshmallows over the top if you would prefer. When I made it, I didn't put on the meringue top. The next day we had a second Thanksgiving with my kid's friends and I replated it, slightly mixing in the streusel and then added the meringue--oh so much more wonderful the second time around!"

 

• Ready In: 1hr 5mins
• Ingredients: 15
• Serves: 16

ingredients

• For Sweet Potato base

• 3 1⁄4 lbs sweet potatoes
• 1⁄2 cup half-and-half
• 1⁄2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 large eggs
• cooking spray

• For Streusel

• 2⁄3 cup chopped pecans
• 1⁄2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• Meringue

• 4 large egg whites
• 2 1⁄3 cups granulated sugar

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. For sweet potatos: Wash and pierce sweet potatoes and microwave until soft.
3. When cool, split skin and peel off.
4. Place in mixing bowl with remaining 6 ingredients (through eggs) and beat at high speed for 2 minutes or until smooth.
5. Spoon into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
6. For Streusel: Combine streusel ingredients and sprinkle evenly over sweet potatoes.
7. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
8. Remove from oven but don't turn oven off yet.
9. For Meringue: In clean mixing bowl with clean beaters, beat egg whites at high speed until soft peaks form.
10. Gradually add sugar, beating until stiff peaks form.
11. This takes about 4 minutes.
12. Spoon meringue into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe meringue into a lattice design over streusel (or just smooth over top like a pie).
13. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.