Sweet potatoes are cubed and then baked in a foil packet with a little brown sugar. Once tender, they head to the food processor along with some butter, cream, orange juice and zest, cinnamon and other seasonings where they are whipped to a super smooth, creamy and light consistency. At this point, the potatoes can be refrigerated for a few days in case you’re trying to get ahead.
And then comes the good part – crispy bacon and brown sugar are pulsed together in the food processor to make the topping for the potatoes. This sweet and salty combo is sprinkled on the potatoes and then the whole dish heads for the broiler, where the topping is browned and caramelized, creating almost a crisp crust for the fluffy potatoes below. It’s out of this world good! The dish isn’t overwhelmingly sweet either, so it doesn’t scream dessert.
Just to test it out, I halved this recipe and portioned it into two smaller ramekins. I mostly mention this to let you know it’s an option if you’re having a smaller gathering.
By Tracey
Bacon and Brown Sugar-Topped Sweet Potato Casserole
from Cook’s Country
Ingredients:
- 3 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, divided
- 5 slices bacon
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 F. Lay two large sheets of heavy duty aluminum foil (perpendicular to one another) on a rimmed baking sheet. Place the potatoes in the center and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the brown sugar. Fold the foil to create a tight packet for the potatoes. Bake for about 1 hour, or until the potatoes are fork tender. Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack. Preheat your broiler.
While the potatoes bake, add the bacon to a large skillet set over medium heat and cook until browned and crisp. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and allow to cool until it can be handled. Crumble the bacon and add to the bowl of your food processor. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of brown sugar to the food processor with the bacon, then pulse about 10 times, or until coarsely ground. Remove from the food processor and set aside.
When the potatoes have finished baking, very carefully open one end of the foil packet (the steam will escape and it’s very hot!). Tilt the packet to dump the potatoes and any accumulated juices into the bowl of your food processor. Add the butter, heavy cream, orange zest, orange juice, salt, cinnamon, and both peppers to the food processor. Process the mixture until completely combined and very smooth, about 1 minute. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Transfer the sweet potato mixture to a 2-quart (broiler-safe) baking dish. Top with the bacon-brown sugar mixture then place under the broiler for 2-3 minutes, or until the sugar has caramelized and browned.
(Note: You can prep this recipe ahead of time. After making the sweet potato mixture, you can refrigerate it without the bacon-brown sugar topping for up to 2 days. When you’re ready to serve, cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and cook for 30-40 minutes in a 400 F oven. Once the potatoes are hot, remove the foil and sprinkle the top with the bacon-brown sugar mixture and broil as described above.)
