Ube Sweet Potato Pie with Chocolate Crust

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Tools

  • Springform Pan
  • Parchment Paper
  • Masher
  • Peeler
  • Knife
  • Cutting Board
  • Spatula
  • Standing Mixer
  • Whisk & Paddle Attachment
  • Sauce Pan
  • Pastry Bag
  • Torch

Cooking Time

3 Hours
Makes 12 Servings

Ingredients

Directions

Chocolate Cookie Crust
  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.   Prepare the springform pan with cooking spray. Then line with a circular piece of parchment paper to fit within the bottom of the pan and a long strip to line the wall of the pan. Give the parchment a spritz of the cooking spray as well.
  2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the crust ingredients until evenly combined. This should be a sandy texture and it should just hold a ball shape when squeezed together in your hand.
  3. Press the crust evenly into the bottom and up the sides of the pan (try to go up about 1½-inches high along the sides).
  4. Bake for about 8-10 minutes and let cool.
Ube Pie Filling
  1. Peel and cut ube sweet potatoes into chunks. Boil in water until soft.  Drain, mash until smooth, and set aside to cool. (You can do this ahead of time/before the crust.)
  2. In a mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the ube potato mash, butter, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.  Mix until smooth and scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  3. Add in eggs one at a time, mixing until just combined, scraping the bowl between each addition.
  4. Slowly add in the evaporated milk and vanilla and mix until just combined.
  5. Pour filling into your cooled pie crust.
  6. Bake at 350oF for about 50-60 minutes.  It’ll be done when you can insert a paring knife straight up and down into the center of the pie and it comes out clean.
  7. Let cool completely.
Italian Meringue
  1. In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, add the egg whites and cream of tartar.  Leave turned off for right now.
  2. In a medium saucepot, combine the sugar and water, making sure the sugar is fully saturated.  Try not to stir too much here since it could cause your sugar syrup to crystalize.
  3. Heat the sugar mixture over medium until it reaches 240ºF. Once the mixture is at about 220ºF, start whipping your egg whites on the 2nd lowest speed.  At 230ºF you can go a little faster, you want the egg whites to be foamy with tight small bubbles when it’s time to add the syrup.  
  4. At 240ºF, remove the sugar syrup from the heat, let the bubble settle.  Turn on the mixer to medium-high speed.
  5. Very carefully and slowly, pour the sugar syrup down the side of the mixing bowl while the mixer is running.  This method allows the syrup to cool slightly on its way down and incorporates the hot syrup in slowly, which keeps the meringue smooth (and your eggs whites from scrambling!).  Again, be super careful here to pour along the side of the bowl and not over the whisk!
  6. Once all of the sugar syrup has been added, turn the mixer up to high and let it whip to stiff peaks and cool off.
  7. Immediately top your pie with the meringue.  You can pipe on the meringue to swoosh around with a spatula and use the flat side of the spatula to pull outward to get those peaks.  Then lightly toast with a handheld torch if you have one.  Or you can use the broiler in your oven, but put the rack pretty low and keep a close eye on your pie so you don’t burn the meringue!
  8. Slice up when you’re ready to serve and dig in!