Brown Butter Sweet Potato Casserole

What you'll need:

Sweet potato mixture:

• 4 medium sized sweet potatoes

• 1/2 cup brown butter ( about 150 g)

• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar ( packed)

• 3 tbsp pure maple syrup

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1 egg ( lightly beaten)

• 1/3 cup whole milk ( add to 2-3 tbsp more if the mixture look to thick or dry)

• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste ( or vanilla extract)

• 1 tsp kosher salt

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg ( or 1/8 tsp of freshly grated nutmeg)

Pecan topping

• 1 cup pecans ( chopped & roasted)

• 1 cup light brown sugar ( packed)

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/3 cup brown butter ( about 75 g)

Directions:

Roast the Sweet Potatoes

1. Preheat oven to 425.

2. Pierce potatoes with a fork a few times and place on a foil lined baking sheet and roast for 60-65 minutes, or until a knife slides in easily.

3. Let cool until you can handle them, then reduce oven to 350.

   
   

   Roast your pecans:

4. Spread pecans on a sheet pan.

5. Roast 6-8 minutes, stirring halfway, until fragrant. Let them cool and then chop.

   
   

   Make the Brown Butter

6. Add 1/2 cup butter + 1/3 cup butter ( this is all the butter for the recipe) to a saucepan over medium heat. Let it melt, stirring occasionally. The butter will foam, then subside and brown specks will appear at the bottom. Cook until it turns a deep golden color and smells nutty ( The whole process should take 5-8 minutes)

7. Divide it roughly into a 1/2 cup for the sweet potatoes and 1/3 cup for the topping ( make sure to get all the brown bits)

   
   

   Prepare the sweet potato mixture

8. Peel the sweet potatoes and add to a bowl. Mash to your preferred texture ( you can also use a handheld mixer for a smoother consistency)

9. Add brown butter , dark brown sugar , granulated sugar, milk , maple syrup, vanilla bean paste, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix well. (Taste and adjust if necessary)

10. Add the beaten egg and mix until combined.

    
    

    Make the pecan topping:

11. In a seperate bowl combine light brown sugar, flour, roasted pecans 1/3 cup of brown butter.. Mix until evenly coated.

    
    

    Assemble the casserole

12. Pour the sweet potato casserole into a casserole dish. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the sweet potatoes.

13. Bake at 350 uncovered for 35- 40 minutes, or until the topping is melted. Top with flaky sea salt & ENJOY!

Important notes

• If your sweet potatoes were roasted ahead of time and are cold, cover the casserole with foil for the first 10-20 minutes of baking so the center can heat through. Then uncover and continue baking until the topping melts and caramelizes. Cold sweet potatoes may add an extra 10-20 minutes to the bake time.

• You don't have to use all of the topping if you prefer a lighter layer. I personally love a generous crunchy topping, so use as much or as little as you like.

• This serves about 6-7 ppl. Feel free to double the recipe if needed. ( highly recommend if you want leftovers or seconds)