![Purple Sweet Potato Pie with Coconut and Five-Spice](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.foodandwine.com/thmb/ARt3hVTYWBdcpWGHsSF8fISIP2I=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/purple-sweet-potato-pie-with-coconut-and-five-spice-FT-RECIPE1118-7e9ea2d2ec5346a581e3a35d2b47ea9b.jpg)
Krystal Mack, of the bakery BLK//SUGAR in Baltimore, draws inspiration from the communities nearby. The purple ube, or sweet potato, in this pie comes from the Filipino Americans who make up a vital part of Baltimore’s culture. The Taiwanese and Southeast Asian populations introduced Mack to five-spice seasoning and inspired the addition of coconut. Toasted marshmallows give it a touch of a Black Thanksgiving. Ube flavoring amps up the purple color of the pie, making it a showstopper on any holiday table. “This pie represents true cultural exchange,” says Mack.
Ingredients
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1 3/4 pounds purple sweet potatoes or yams (such as Stokes Purple or ube)
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1 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar, divided
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1 cup evaporated milk
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1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, divided
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3 large eggs, beaten
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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1 teaspoon ube flavoring (such as McCormick Ube Flavor)
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3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
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1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
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1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
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1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
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1/4 cup uncooked regular rolled oats
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1/4 cup chopped pecans
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2 tablespoons sweetened shredded coconut
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2 tablespoons miniature marshmallows
Directions
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Pierce yams several times with a fork, and wrap each in aluminum foil. Bake in preheated oven until tender, 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes. Remove from oven; cool completely, about 2 hours.
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Peel cooled yams, and discard skins. Process yams in a food processor until mixture is smooth and forms a ball, about 1 minute. Place 11/2 cups yam puree in a large bowl; reserve remaining puree for another use. Whisk in 1 cup brown sugar, milk, 1/2 cup butter, eggs, vanilla, ube flavoring, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, five-spice, salt, and nutmeg until smooth and combined. Pour mixture into frozen pie shell. Bake in preheated oven until filling is set, about 50 minutes.
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Meanwhile, stir together oats, pecans, coconut, remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar, remaining 2 tablespoons butter, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside.
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Remove pie from oven; sprinkle center of pie with oat mixture. Return to oven; bake at 350°F until topping is lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle marshmallows over topping, and bake until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer pie to a wire rack to cool completely, about 4 hours.