For our second pie, for Pi Day, we made a mouth watering southern treat: Sweet Potato Pie with a Streusel Topping. Forget about pumpkin pie, this pie is so much better. It’s smooth, it’s creamy, it has a streusel topping. You can’t really go wrong there.

Our recipe was inspired by Stephie Cooks.

Pie Filling: 

• 1 unbaked 9- or 10-inch pie crust
• 2 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes
• ¾ cup packed brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
• 1¼ cups evaporated milk
• 5 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon vanilla

Streusel Topping: 

• ⅔ cup flour
• ⅔ cup brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of salt
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Step 1: 

Peel, chop, then boil your sweet potatoes adding whatever is left in the evaporated milk can, there’s always just a little bit left and we figured, why not! Boil until tender, and the tenderer(is this a real word?) the better, or if you want a more “rustic” look and feel to the pie, keep them al dente.

Step 2:

Preheat the oven to 450°.

Step 3: 

When the sweet potatoes are mashed and cooled slightly, (return to saucepan that you mashed them, it doesn’t have to be big) add brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon,nutmeg fresh grated ginger, melted buttered, 3/4 of a cup of the evaporated milk. Whisk together.

Step 4:

Return the mixture to the medium heat and whisk until everything is melted and dissolved. Remove from heat to cool (five or so minutes)

I know it looks a little weird, but it’s all about the flavor! And remember you can always blend it!

Step 5: 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, the remaining evaporated milk and vanilla.

Step 6: 

Take about one cup of the sweet potato mixture and very slowly pour into the egg/milk mixture. Remember to stir constantly. You don’t want to cook the eggs or curdle them.  Sweet scrambled egg pie is gross.

Step 7: 

Now pour the warmed egg/milk/sweet potato mixture back into the sauce pan with the remaining sweet potato mixture. Mix well. At this stage, if you don’t like the consistency, we put ours in the blender, and blended until smooth.

Step 8: 

In a small bowl, combined the dry ingredients for the streusel topping. Mix well. Add chopped butter (make sure it’s cut into small pieces). Using a pastry cutter, combine until the mixture is crumbly. If not using right away, place in fridge so the butter doesn’t melt!

Step 9: 

Pour the mixture into your pie crust (either frozen or homemade), we tried not to fill all the way to the top, to give a little extra room for it to grow. If there is extra pour into a small oven safe ramekin and bake. Top with half of the streusel mix and pop it in the oven for 10 minutes.

Step 10: 

After 10 minutes in the oven, lower the oven to 325° and set your timer for 50 minutes. On a separate timer, set a timer for 20 minute and when that goes off, take out the pie and add the remaining streusel, return to oven.

Step 11: 

Remove from oven and let cool for at least one hour. Or as I recommend, overnight.