#Recipe: Sweet Potato Souffle with a sprinkle of Marlene

Serves 6 to 8, Prep Time:  20 minutes, Cook Time: 1 hour

For sweet potato soufflé (custard base and meringues)

• 2-29 oz. cans yams/sweet potatoes drain liquid from one can (recommend Bruce’s Yams); reserve liquid from one of the cans
• 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature, must be soft enough to cut into tbsp.-sized pats
• 2 tbsps. light brown sugar (recommend Domino)  
• 1/3 cup maple syrup, any grade is fine
• 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice(or any combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and other spices to your liking: recommend McCormick)
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Ground white pepper, to taste
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour (recommend White Lily)
• 1½ cups whole milk
• 6 eggs, separated
• ¼ tsp. cream of tartar
• Nonstick butter spray

For bourbon sauce, optional

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/8 cup whipping cream
• ¼ cup bourbon

Tools

• Can opener
• Medium glass bowl for egg whites at room temperature
• Small metal bowl for egg yolks at room temperature
• 8-quart saucepan
• Potato masher
• Large, glass bowl
• Clear, plastic wrap
• Whisk
• Medium, glass bowl
• Electric mixer
• Round, 2-qt. ramekin/soufflé dish
• Timer
• Small saucepan
• 2 large serving spoons

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Turn on oven light.
2. Pour both cans of sweet potatoes and reserved liquid into an 8-quart saucepan. Reduce liquid from sweet potatoes over medium-heat, cooking between 10 to 15 minutes until sweet potatoes are fork-tender and liquid has thickened to a syrup. If there is a lot of liquid, drain potatoes. Return to saucepan. Add butter, one tablespoon at a time, up to 6 tablespoons.; reserve remainder of butter. Add brown sugar, syrup, pumpkin spice, salt, and pepper and season to the pan. Season to your liking. Turn off heat.  Mash with a potato masher. When smooth, transfer into large, glass bowl and cool to room temperature. Cover with clear, plastic wrap, touching the mixture so a film doesn’t form on the top.
3. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt remaining 2 tablespoons. butter. Whisk in flour and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until light brown. Add a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper. Whisk in milk, continuing to whisk without stopping for 3 minutes until mixture is thick. Remove from heat and transfer to medium glass bowl. Whisk all yolks in the bowl until incorporated. Whisk contents into sweet potato mash.  Cover with clear, plastic wrap.
4. Whip egg whites with electric mixer on low until whites are foamy. Add a pinch of salt, and the cream of tartar. Increase the speed gradually to high speed and whip until stiff peaks form. Spray the inside of a soufflé dish with nonstick butter spray.
5. Gently fold 1/3 of whipped egg whites into the sweet potato mixture until uniform. Repeat with the second, then, the last third whipped egg whites. Transfer mixture to prepared soufflé dish. Transfer to oven in the center of the bottom shelf. Do not place shelves above the dish or any other dish beside or under it. Close oven door and reduce heat to 375 degrees. Set timer for 50 minutes.

Resist the urge to check. No jumping. No running. No children in the kitchen. Grandma’s rules!

•  While soufflé is baking, prepare the bourbon sauce. Melt second stick of butter in small saucepan over medium-heat. Whisk in granulated sugar, whipping cream, bourbon, and a pinch of salt. Simmer until sauce thickens. Vigorously whisk for 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Makes 1 cup of sauce.
• After timer goes off, check soufflé in the oven, but don’t open over door yet. Look inside and check to see if soufflé has risen 2 to 3 inches AND that the top has browned nicely.  If not, set timer for 10 more minutes. After timer goes off a second time, gently, remove ramekin from oven and place on dining room table.
• Plunge 2 large serving spoons, back-to-back in the middle of the soufflé to help prevent the soufflé from falling. Serve immediately. Enjoy! Grandma’s rules!