Sweet potato casserole topped with marshmallows
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 5 cup cooked mashed sweet potatoes (about 3 1/2 lbs.)
- 3 tbsp butter or margarine melted
- 2 tbsp frozen orange juice concentrate thawed
- 1 ground cinnamon & nutmeg to taste
- 2/3 cup pecans chopped
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp butter or margarine melted
- 1 1/2 cup miniature marshmallows
- Carbohydrate 38.7807682135818 g
- Cholesterol 153.720833333333 mg
- Fat 12.5582367196627 g
- Fiber 0.842060825686848 g
- Protein 5.5928433448108 g
- Saturated Fat 4.46846160009433 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (84g)
- Sodium 105.826592273266 mg
- Sugar 37.938707387895 g
- Trans Fat 1.1096039166323 g
- Calories 280 calories
Step-by-step
- in a large mixing bowl, stir together the mashed sweet potatoes, eggs, milk, sugar, 3 T. melted butter, orange juice concentrate, salt, and spices until smooth.. Spread mixture into a greased 2-quart rectangular baking dish. (The dish I use is oval.)
- In a small bowl, stir together the pecans, brown sugar, flour, and 2 T. melted butter. Sprinkle over the sweet potato mixture.
- Bake in 350 degree oven about 30 min. or until nearly heated through. Remove the casserole from the oven and sprinkle w/marshmallows. Return to oven and bake 5-10 minutes more or until marshmallows are lightly browned. Let stand about 5 min. before serving. Makes 12 servings. (I sometimes omit the marshmallows.)
Staggering the addition of the marshmallow topping prevents scorching during the initial thirty-minute bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Without this pause, delicate sugars burn long before the dense potato purée reaches a safe internal temperature. Managing oven real estate requires foresight when coordinating multiple side dishes in a cramped culinary workspace. Bowls multiply quickly during prep, so utilizing a single large mixing vessel for the base keeps cleanup manageable in compact quarters. Combining frozen orange juice concentrate directly with dairy and eggs demands thorough whisking to prevent curdling or uneven distribution of acid. Acidity from the citrus brightens the heavy starches while balancing the inherent sweetness of the root vegetables. Fat content from butter coats the tongue, slowing down the perception of sugar and allowing deeper spices like cinnamon and nutmeg to register fully on the palate. Temperature management dictates the success of the streusel portion. Chopped pecans combined with brown sugar, flour, and melted butter create a brittle crust that contrasts against the velvety potato interior. Monitoring the final five to ten minutes under direct heat ensures the miniature marshmallows achieve golden coloration without dissolving into a sticky liquid mess. Resting the dish for five minutes before partitioning allows starches to gelatinize slightly, yielding clean portions rather than running layers. Utilizing exact pan dimensions specified in instructions guarantees proper depth for even heat penetration from edge to center.
