The Farmplate Blog

from the FarmPlate Kitchen

Old-fashioned gingersnaps, the hard ones that are so good for dunking in milk, make a delicious and easy crumb crust. Mi-Del organic gingersnaps are particularly good here.

2 cups (8 ounces) gingersnap cookie crumbs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons demerara or raw cane sugar
2 generous cups cooked and mashed sweet potato
3 large eggs
¾ cup maple syrup, preferably dark amber
1 cup half-and-half
1 tablespoon bourbon or 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
A big pinch ground cloves
¹ /₈ teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Combine the cookie crumbs, melted butter and sugar. Press into a deep 9-inch pie pan. Bake for 5 minutes and remove from the oven. Increase the oven temperature to 425ºF.

In a mixing bowl, beat the sweet potatoes and eggs until blended. Mix in the maple syrup, half-and-half, bourbon or vanilla, spices and salt. Pour into the pie shell.

Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350ºF and bake until set, about 25 minutes more.

Serves 8