SWEET POTATO-GINGERBREAD MERINGUE PIE

Sweet Potato-Gingerbread Meringue Pie image

This delicious pie showcases gingerbread flavor in the meringue instead of the crust. Baking it on the bottom rack gets the crust nice and crisp without parbaking it. -Shannon Norris, Cudahy, Wisconsin

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories Desserts

Time 1h40m

Yield 10 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 23

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Ingredients

1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
4-1/2 teaspoons sugar
Dash salt
6 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
4 to 6 tablespoons ice water
FILLING:
3 pounds medium sweet potatoes
1-1/3 cups sugar
2/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Dash salt
4 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
MERINGUE:
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon molasses
Dash salt
5 large egg whites, room temperature
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Steps:

Pulse flour, sugar and salt in a food processor until blended. Add butter; pulse until butter is the size of peas. Combine egg yolk and 2 tablespoons ice water; slowly add to processor until dough holds together, adding remaining ice water, if needed, 1 tablespoon at a time. Shape dough into a disk; wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight., Preheat oven to 400°. Scrub sweet potatoes; pierce several times with a fork. Bake until tender, 45-50 minutes. Cool slightly; peel and mash to yield about 4 cups. Reduce oven setting to 350°. , On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to a 9-in. deep-dish pie plate. Trim to 1/2 in. beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Refrigerate 30 minutes., For filling, beat sugar, butter, pie spice and salt until blended. Add eggs and vanilla; beat in cooled sweet potatoes until smooth. Add filling to chilled crust. Bake on bottom rack until a knife inserted in center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Keep warm., Meanwhile, for meringue, combine sugar, water, molasses and salt in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; , using a pastry brush dipped in water, wash down the sides of the pan to eliminate sugar crystals. When mixture comes to a boil, stop brushing. Cook without stirring until a thermometer reads 240° (soft-ball stage)., As molasses mixture cooks, preheat broiler. Beat egg whites, cream of tartar and spices on medium speed until soft peaks form. While beating, gradually drizzle hot molasses mixture over egg whites; continue beating until stiff glossy peaks form. Spread meringue over warm pie; broil 4-6 in. from heat until slightly browned, 1-2 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 609 calories, Fat 22g fat (13g saturated fat), Cholesterol 144mg cholesterol, Sodium 663mg sodium, Carbohydrate 96g carbohydrate (64g sugars, Fiber 5g fiber), Protein 9g protein.