Mashed Sweet Potatoes

By Tdunl

Ingredients

• 1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar or 1/2 cup
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans (about 2 ounces)
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces, plus 3 Tbsp
• 5 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams), peeled, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 4 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup possibly plus 1/2 cup
• 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons salt

Preparation

Step 1

PREPARATION

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix sugar, pecans and 1/4 cup butter in small bowl. (Or Mix 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup maple syrup, pecans and 1/4 cup butter.) Cover and chill until ready to use. (Can be made up to 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
Butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Cook sweet potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until very tender, about 12 minutes. Drain. Let stand in colander 15 minutes. Purée sweet potatoes in processor.
Beat eggs, syrup, vanilla, lemon juice and salt in large bowl. Mix in puréed sweet potatoes. Transfer sweet potato mixture to prepared dish. Cut up the 3 Tbsp butter and push into sweet potatoes, so it blends with the dish once melted. Bake for 30 minutes and stir in butter then sprinkle pecan topping evenly over mixture.
Bake until sweet potato mixture is set and topping bubbles, about 1 hour. Let stand 15 minutes and serve.