Sweet Potato Pie With 3-nut Topping

Total Time: 2 hrs Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup pecans, toasted
• 1/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted
• 1/3 cup almonds, toasted
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 18 ounces sweet potatoes
• 3 large eggs, whisked together well
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/3 cup whole pecans, toasted
• 1/3 cup whole almond, toasted
• 1/3 cup hazelnuts, toasted

Recipe

• 1 crust: coarsely grind the nuts in a food processor.
• 2 add the remaining dry ingredients and blend one or two pulses.
• 3 add the butter and blend in pulses until moist crumbs form.
• 4 press the mixture into the bottom and up about 1 1/2 inches of the sides of a 9-inch spring-form pan or pie plate.
• 5 refrigerate.
• 6 filling: heat the oven to 350 degrees f.
• 7 wash and dry the sweet potatoes, prick all over with a fork, put on a baking sheet and roast until tender, about an hour depending on their size.
• 8 cool, peel, and puree the flesh in a food processor until very smooth.
• 9 transfer to a bowl.
• 10 add the eggs and mix.
• 11 in a small saucepan, heat the butter until it has melted and has turned brown (buerre noisette- brown butter).
• 12 do not burn it.
• 13 add the sugar, honey, and spices and mix, then let cook, stirring, for about a minute.
• 14 remove from the heat, add the cream and whisk.
• 15 let cool slightly, then add to the sweet potato puree.
• 16 blend until very, very smooth.
• 17 pour the filling into the crust.
• 18 bake until set; the center will move only slightly when shaken, about 40 minutes.
• 19 if it looks like it is getting too brown, cover with foil.
• 20 topping: about 10 minutes before the pie is done, prepare the topping by stirring the butter, brown sugar and honey in a heavy saucepan over low heat until the sugar dissolves completely.
• 21 increase the heat and boil for 1 minute.
• 22 mix in the nuts, mixing to make sure they are completely coated with the sugar mixture.
• 23 pour the topping over the cooked pie, then continue baking for about 5 minutes.
• 24 transfer to a rack and cool completely.
• 25 note: when in doubt, make the pie wait for the topping, not the topping for the pie.
• 26 if the topping isn't poured onto the pie while in a semi-liquid state, it will solidify and you won't get it to spread over top of the pie.
• 27 note 2: the topping is extremely brittle- be very careful when cutting this pie into slices.