Sweet Potato Crème Brûlée

Ingredients

• 1 large sweet potato, baked, skinned, and mashed
• 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 7 egg yolks, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

Preparation

1. Combine mashed sweet potato (about 1 1/4 cups), 1/4 cup brown sugar, and lemon juice; spoon potato mixture into a buttered 10" x 2" quiche dish to form a 1/4" thick layer.
2. Stir together cream, granulated sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla in a medium saucepan. Cook mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, about 15 minutes or until hot. (Do not boil.)
3. Pour over sweet potato mixture in prepared dish. Place dish in a shallow pan. Add hot water to pan to a depth of 3/4" (about halfway up dish).
4. Bake at 325º for 1 hour or until a knife inserted in center comes out almost clean. Carefully remove dish from water. Cool custard on a wire rack. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.
5. Sprinkle custard with 1/3 cup brown sugar; place dish on a jellyroll pan. Broil 5 1/2" from heat 3 to 5 minutes or until sugar melts. Let stand 5 minutes to allow sugar to harden before serving.
6. Tip: Removing a hot dish from a hot water bath can be tricky. We recommend wearing insulated rubber gloves to grasp the hot dish--they'll protect your hands from both the hot dish and hot water.