KY BOURBON SWEET POTATO PIE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 450 ºF.
• 2. Scrub sweet potatoes well; wrap with aluminum foil; place on baking sheet.
• 3. Bake at 450ºF for 1 hour; remove from oven when fork tender; allow to cool for 20 to 30 minutes.
• 4. Prepare or thaw pie shell and place, in pie pan, on a rimmed baking sheet.
• 5. In small bowl, combine sugar, salt and spices; set aside.
• 6. Place oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350ºF.
• 7. Remove and discard skins from sweet potatoes; place 2 cups firmly packed cooked sweet potatoes in large mixing bowl or bowl of stand mixer.
• 8. Melt butter in small bowl in microwave (or in small saucepan on stove.)
• 9. Mash and mix sweet potatoes until smooth, removing and discarding any stringy pieces.
• 10. Add butter; mix well.
• 11. Add sugar & spice mixture, eggs, milk bourbon and vanilla; mix until very well combined.
• 12. Pour into pie shell, smoothing top.
• 13. Bake on rimmed baking sheet at 350ºF for 1 hour or until toothpick, inserted in center, is almost clean. (NOTE: If using sweet potatoes that were cooked and then refrigerated, increase baking time to 1 1/4 hrs.)
• 14. Allow to cool, at room temperature, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, then refrigerate for at least 1 1/2 hours before serving.
• 15. Garnish each slice with sweet bourbon whipped cream and a sprig of mint or candied pecans, if desired.
• 16. Cover and refrigerate leftovers.
• 17. BOURBON WHIPPED CREAM: 1 Cup heavy whipping cream 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar 1 Tablespoon confectioner's sugar 1 1/2 teaspoon Kentucky bourbon In mixing bowl, whip cream to soft peak stage; while whipping, gradually add sugars; continue whipping while adding bourbon. Whip to fairly stiff peak stage. Refrigerate leftovers.