Maple Purple Pie

I used purple sweet potatoes to make this beautifully vibrant pie. You may find these potatoes at shops labeled as Okinawan Sweet Potatoes, Hawaiian Sweet Potatoes, or Purple Sweet Potatoes. I used a pure maple syrup instead of sugar for the filling and the crust, but you can choose whatever format you like. My main reasoning for using maple was to detract from the sweet potato taste only because I personally don't super love plain old sweet potato pie. It's kinda... potatoey! ;) The pure maple gives it some nice notes and creaminess. Because the filling is so soft and velvety, I added a walnut oatmeal streusel to the top for some texture. Do remember that purple sweet potatoes are pretty sweet on their own, and each one can differ in taste, so after you mash them, add your sweetening element and taste it before you add your eggs!

Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups finely ground graham crackers
• 4 Tbsp melted butter
• 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup

Filling:

• 2 to 3 purple sweet potatoes
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup (more or less to taste)
• 1/2 cup milk (any type -- I used cashew)
• 2 eggs

Topping

• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/3 cup walnuts
• 2 Tbsp coconut sugar or brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp melted butter

Baking the potatoes is the best method of cooking them because we don't want any added water seeping into its flesh. This will also keep the potato as purple as possible!

Preheat your oven to 350 F. Wrap each potato in foil and bake for about 60-90 minutes. When you prick them with a fork and the flesh is super soft, they are ready.

Allow to cool a bit, then peel the skin off. You can just pinch at the skin with your thumb and index finger and it will peel right off.

Take a moment to enjoy that beautiful purple colour. Wow, Nature. You are awesome!

Melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a bowl then stir in the ground graham crackers.

Mix in 2 tablespoons of maple syrup.

Press this mixture into a pie dish. I used a 7" round. Pop in the fridge until ready for use.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mash your purple sweet potatoes until they are smooth and fluffy. I used a hand mixer on high speed. Add milk and beat until silky.

Beat in maple syrup a little at a time. You don't have to use 1/3 cup, that's just what was the right sweetness for me. I urge you to taste the mixture before you add the raw eggs.

Stir in the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.

Lightly beat the eggs and mix in.

Take the pie crust out the fridge and pour in the filling. Smooth it out with a spatula so it's nice and even. Pop in the oven for about 25 minutes.

While the pie is in the oven, start making your streusel topping. Chop the walnuts. I like to use a mix of finely chopped nuts and larger chunks for variety!

In a bowl, mix together the oats, the nuts, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and 1/2 a teaspoon of cinnamon.

Pour in the 2 tablespoons of melted butter and stir well. Set aside.

Pull the pie out the oven at the 25 minute baking mark, cover in the streusel topping, then bake another 30 minutes for a grand total of about 55 minutes in the oven, start to finish. Remove from oven and allow to fully cool on a rack for several hours.