Recipe: Ricky Hatfield’s Chipotle Sweet Potato Souffle

Homemade marshmallow fluff and pecan crumble add a dessert element to this tricked-out casserole.
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Local chef Ricky Hatfield, formerly of CharBlue, adds homemade marshmallow fluff and pecan crumble to fresh-whipped sweet potatoes in this elegant-looking side dish.

INGREDIENTS
5 pounds sweet potatoes
1 cup heavy cream
Two sticks butter
½ cup brown sugar, plus 1/3 cup brown sugar (divided)
1/3 cup sugar
¼ cup apple cider
kosher salt
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped
1 cup light corn syrup
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon extract
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
 
INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Place sweet potatoes on baking tray and place in oven. Roast for 1 hour. (This can be done up to a few days in advance.)
  2. While potatoes bake, combine heavy cream, chipotle pepper, one stick butter, ½ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup apple cider, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt in medium saucepan. Cook over low heat until butter and sugar are melted. Set aside.
  3. To make marshmallow fluff, place egg whites in stand mixer fitted with whip attachment. Whip egg whites until soft peak is reached. Reduce speed to low, and slowly add corn syrup until combined. Increase to high speed for seven minutes. Reduce to low speed and add vanilla. Set aside.
  4. To make pecan crumble, cut remaining stick of butter in small chunks and place in freezer for a minimum of 15 minutes. (Can also be done a day in advance.) Combine flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and pinch of salt in bowl of food processor. Pulse until combined. Pulse in the frozen butter chunks. Remove to large bowl and fold in 1 cup chopped pecans.
  5. When sweet potatoes are done roasting, let stand at room temperature for about 10 minutes. This will allow them to cool enough to work with. Peel and chop sweet potatoes and place in a large mixing bowl. Add the butter/cream/sugar/chipotle mixture from the saucepan, and stir to combine. Place half the mixture in a food processor (or blender), and process until smooth. Pour mixture into a 9 x 13 baking dish. Repeat with second half of mixture.
  6. Cover sweet potato mixture with pecan crumble. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Remove from oven. Turn on broiler.
  7. Spoon the marshmallow fluff on top of the sweet potato casserole and spread with a spoon. (Or place in large pastry bag with star tip and pipe on instead.)
  8. Place under broiler until marshmallow fluff is dark brown and toasted in spots.
  9. Serve immediately.

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