Equipment
Ingredients
Spiced Graham Cracker Crust
- 150 g graham cracker crumbs, finely ground
- 85 g unsalted butter, melted
- 25 g brown sugar, packed
- 2 g ground cinnamon
- 1 g ground ginger
- 1 g salt
Sweet Potato Coconut Filling
- 450 g sweet potato puree, smooth, unseasoned
- 200 ml coconut cream, full fat, well stirred
- 100 g brown sugar, packed
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- 10 ml vanilla extract
- 4 g ground cinnamon
- 2 g ground nutmeg
- 2 g ground ginger
- 2 g salt
- 30 g shredded coconut, toasted
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Preheat your oven to 175 C or 350 F.
In a mixing bowl, combine the finely ground graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, and salt. Mix thoroughly until the mixture resembles wet sand.
Transfer the crumb mixture to a 9-inch pie dish. Press firmly and evenly across the bottom and up the sides of the dish.
Bake the crust in the preheated oven at 175 C or 350 F for 10 minutes to set it. Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly while you prepare the filling.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sweet potato puree, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until completely smooth.
Add the room temperature eggs to the sweet potato mixture one at a time, whisking well after each addition to ensure the mixture is fully emulsified.
Stir in the coconut cream, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, and salt. Whisk until the liquid is homogenous and uniformly spiced.
Pour the sweet potato coconut filling into the par-baked graham cracker crust, smoothing the top gently with a spatula.
Bake the pie at 175 C or 350 F for 45 to 55 minutes. The pie is done when the edges are puffed and set, but the very center still has a slight jiggle. Ensure the internal temperature reaches 74 C or 165 F for egg safety.
Transfer the pie to a wire cooling rack. Allow it to cool completely to room temperature, which will take at least 3 hours, allowing the filling to fully set.
Garnish the top of the cooled pie with toasted shredded coconut before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Roasting sweet potatoes whole in their skins at 200 C until completely soft yields a far superior puree compared to boiling, preserving the starches and concentrating the natural sugars.
- Canned coconut cream frequently separates into a solid fat block and liquid water. Empty the entire can into a bowl and whisk vigorously until smooth before measuring.
- Room temperature eggs are crucial. Cold eggs added to the filling can cause the coconut fat to seize and create small unappetizing lumps in your custard.
- For the cleanest slices, chill the cooled pie in the refrigerator for an hour before cutting, and wipe your knife clean between each slice.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Cover tightly with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 1 month — Wrap the fully cooled pie tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, before freezing.
