Period Sweet Potato Pudding Pie

[donna]

Pumpkin-Pie-Whole-Slice
Evan-Amos [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Since had thread on Sweet Potato Fries, thought post this recipe on Sweet Potato Pudding. Actually when this recipe first posted in Godey's Lady's Book, it called for white potatoes. But feel sweet potatoes could be used.

Sweet Potato Pudding Pie

"Beat to a cream one pound of sugar and one pound of butter; boil and pound fine two pounds of potatoes, beat the potato by degree into the butter and sugar; add five eggs beaten light, one wineglass of wine, one of brandy, and one of rose-water, two teaspoonfuls of spice, and half a pint of cream.

Bake it in a crust. This will fill seven puddings (pies)."

From: "Civil War Recipes Receipts from the Pages of Godey's lady's Book". Lily May Spaulding and John Spaulding, editors. page. 193.

 

[kholland]

My wife would love this. I'll show it to her.

 

[MRB1863]

Sounds good! Like Sweet Potatoes! Imagine the texture to be much like Pumpkin Pie...

 

[donna]

For some, they like to have Sweet Potato Pie for Thanksgiving. I am posting a recipe for Spicy Sweet Potato Pie. It was in the Chef's Choice of "The Kentucky Living Magazine" for November. This could be a nice change from Pumpkin Pie for Thanksgiving.

Spicy Sweet Potato Pie

1 unbaked deep dish piecrust
3/4 cup dark or light brown sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed sweet potatoes
3 eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup room temperature cream or evaporated milk

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray the dull side of aluminum foil with cooking spray and press into the piecrust. Fill with dried beans and bake 15 minutes to keep the crust from getting soggy, during baking. Remove foil and beans (beans may be stored and cooked as usual).

Place a baking sheet in the oven. Combine sugar, flour, salt and spices in a bowl and stir to blend. Add sweet potato and eggs and beat to blend. Stir in cream. Put piecrust on baking sheet and add filling. Place in oven and bake 5 minutes. Lower heat to 325 degrees and bake about 45 minutes or until the center jiggles like gelatin, but doesn't make ripples. Cool on a rack. Serve with whipped cream.

Serves 8.

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

My goodness the pudding sounds very rich, but super tempting nonetheless! Those Victorians clearly weren't watching their waistlines or concerned about cholesterol

 

[Blessmag]

Since had thread on Sweet Potato Fries, thought post this recipe on Sweet Potato Pudding. Actually when this recipe first posted in Godey's Lady's Book, it called for white potatoes. But feel sweet potatoes could be used.

Sweet Potato Pudding Pie

"Beat to a cream one pound of sugar and one pound of butter; boil and pound fine two pounds of potatoes, beat the potato by degree into the butter and sugar; add five eggs beaten light, one wineglass of wine, one of brandy, and one of rose-water, two teaspoonfuls of spice, and half a pint of cream.

Bake it in a crust. This will fill seven puddings (pies)."

From: "Civil War Recipes Receipts from the Pages of Godey's lady's Book". Lily May Spaulding and John Spaulding, editors. page. 193.

Was the wineglass of wine and brandy for the pie or the cook?

 

[KansasFreestater]

My own recipe for Sweet Potato Pie (which claims to be a genuine Southern recipe) is unusual in that there are no seasonings in it except for vanilla. I really like it, because then you really taste all the flavor of the sweet potato itself, not covered up by any spices. My husband used to say that he had never cared much for sweet potato pie until he tasted my recipe. (But that's not to say that I don't plan to try out the OP recipe, which replaces the evaporated milk and vanilla in my own recipe with cream, wine and brandy -- ooh la la! )

Sweet Potato Pie

Combine in bowl:
2 boiled, mashed sweet potatoes (about 1 cup)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 egg
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 Tbsp. vanilla

Blend until smooth.
Pour into unbaked pie crust.
Bake at 350° for 45 to 60 minutes.

 

[KansasFreestater]

Since had thread on Sweet Potato Fries, thought post this recipe on Sweet Potato Pudding. Actually when this recipe first posted in Godey's Lady's Book, it called for white potatoes. But feel sweet potatoes could be used.

Sweet Potato Pudding Pie

"Beat to a cream one pound of sugar and one pound of butter; boil and pound fine two pounds of potatoes, beat the potato by degree into the butter and sugar; add five eggs beaten light, one wineglass of wine, one of brandy, and one of rose-water, two teaspoonfuls of spice, and half a pint of cream.

Bake it in a crust. This will fill seven puddings (pies)."

From: "Civil War Recipes Receipts from the Pages of Godey's lady's Book". Lily May Spaulding and John Spaulding, editors. page. 193.

Want to try this, but where does one get rose-water??

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

Want to try this, but where does one get rose-water??

You can get rosewater on Amazon for cooking/baking - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000LQL9M6/?tag=civilwartalkc-20

It's an excellent skin toner, too. I used it once in an elaborate Christmas punch.

 

[donna]

Walmart.com has rosewater for sale too.

 

[KansasFreestater]

I'm fascinated to find this out about rose water:

Before 1841, when vanilla became widely available (after a 12-year-old slave figured out how to hand-pollinate the vanilla orchid so that it could be commercially produced outside its native Mexico, but that's another story), rose water was also a primary flavoring in a wide range of desserts and pastries in Europe and even the United States.​

So that explains the rose water in the Civil War-era recipe where my more recent recipe has vanilla!

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

I'm fascinated to find this out about rose water:

Before 1841, when vanilla became widely available (after a 12-year-old slave figured out how to hand-pollinate the vanilla orchid so that it could be commercially produced outside its native Mexico, but that's another story), rose water was also a primary flavoring in a wide range of desserts and pastries in Europe and even the United States.​

So that explains the rose water in the Civil War-era recipe where my more recent recipe has vanilla!

Thanks for sharing the history of rose water. I know when I researched Revolutionary War era baking for a project I found orange water and lavender used along with the rose water. I had no idea why, I just thought that liked floral infused cakes & breads

 

[donna]

Another thread on Sweet Potato Pie. These are delicious to make for Thanksgiving. You can have sweet potato pie and pumpkin pie.

 

[TracyM61]

Want to try this, but where does one get rose-water??

You can order it through Amazon or a Mediterranean Restaurant that has an adjacent store; have bought Rose Water at both. Good in tea also...

 

[TracyM61]

On my recipe bucket list. Have heard from other cooking lovers that sweet potato pie is better than pumpkin pie. Any recipe with wine and brandy added has to be good. So, this will be my year to try Sweet Potato Pudding Pie.

Thanks for the recipes ladies. They all sound fantastic!!!!!

 

[mofederal]

I will print this out, but it will be up to her to cook it. I like many pies, but I am sure we will be putting it on the list regardless. I am always glad to see new recipes. You never know when she will be making something, but right now the chef is a little stressed about Thanksgiving. Best to wait till after this holiday. Thanks for the recipe @donna and @KansasFreestater, and all of the other great comments.

 

[donna]

Another thread on Sweet Potato Pie. It has been around for a long time.

 

[donna]

A great pie to make for your Thanksgiving meal.

 

[JPChurch]

I make a real simple one.

Boil a couple small sweet potatoes and let 'em cool then skin them. Enough for about 1 1/4 lb. maybe.

Smash 'em up with a stick of softened un-salted butter (1/2 cup). Whup that up with your mixer in a big bowl.

Then add 2 eggs, 1/4 cup sugar (you really don't need sugar at all), 1/2 cup of milk, 1/2 tsp. each of nutmeg and cinnamon, then 1 tsp. of vanilla extract. The last 3 ingredients are at your discretion. These can take away the flavor of the sweet potatoes themselves.

Combine all the above with your mixer on slow till well blended. Pour into a 9" deep dish pie crust. Bake @ 350 for an hour. Allow to cool on a pie rack. They set up better if put in your fridge overnight after cooling on the counter top, just cover with foil.

 

[Dead Parrott]

...and all are zero calories too!!