Sweet Potato Chess Pie
A Southern chess pie built on roasted sweet potato, with cornmeal for the set and buttermilk and lemon for the tang. Bright, silky, and not buried in spice.
Servings 8 slices
Ingredients
For the Buttermilk Crust
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter cold, cut into small pieces
- ¼ to ½ cup buttermilk cold
For the Sweet Potato Chess Filling
- 1 lb sweet potatoes about 2 medium, roasted and mashed to 1 ½ cups
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoon fine yellow cornmeal
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 4 large eggs
- 6 tablespoon unsalted butter melted and cooled
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg freshly grated
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
To Serve
- 1 cup heavy cream whipped and lightly sweetened
Instructions
Roast the Sweet Potatoes
- Prick the sweet potatoes and roast at 400°F for 45 to 55 minutes, until the skins collapse and the flesh gives with no resistance. Cool, peel, and mash smooth. Let the mash drain in a sieve for 10 minutes and measure out 1 ½ cups.
Make the Buttermilk Crust
- Cut the cold butter into the flour, sugar, and salt until pebbly. Add cold buttermilk a little at a time until the dough just comes together.
- Flatten into a disc, wrap, and chill 30 minutes. Roll out, fit into a 9-inch pie dish, crimp the edge, and chill again while you mix the filling.
Mix and Bake
- Heat the oven to 350°F. Whisk the sweet potato mash with both sugars, the cornmeal, and the salt.
- Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then the melted butter, buttermilk, lemon zest and juice, nutmeg, and vanilla. Whisk only to combine, never cream the butter, since whipped-in air causes puffing and cracking.
- Push the filling through a fine sieve directly into the chilled crust for a perfectly smooth set.
- Bake on a rimmed baking sheet for 50 to 60 minutes. Shield the crust edge with foil once it colors, around 30 minutes. The pie is done when a 2-inch circle at the center wobbles as one piece and the outer surface has turned matte, about 175 to 180°F.
- Cool completely on a rack, at least 3 hours, before slicing. Serve at room temperature or lightly chilled with whipped cream.
Notes
- Roast, never boil: Boiled sweet potato is waterlogged and leaves the center loose.
- Melted butter, not creamed: Creaming aerates the custard, which puffs and then cracks.
- Sieve the filling: Two minutes of work for a flawless texture.
- Doneness: A 2-inch wobble at the center, matte surface at the edge.
- Store-bought crust works if you are short on time.