Seriously Scrumptious Sweet Potato Pies

I'm a firm believer in the use of seasonal produce and local, where possible, and this belief is not limited to savoury dishes. Sweet potatoes are bang in season right now and they are being grown a lot more frequently in the UK. I have to admit I am a little bit in love with them in the form of fries but I'm always looking out for different ways to use them.

Americans have been using sweet potatoes, as well as pumpkins and even squash, since they got the idea from Europe in the 16th century but this style of baking hasn't really made it's way back across the pond. Until now. These pies are the perfect mouthful. They have a sweet almost creamy-textured centre, with a crisp pastry case and a gooey meringue topping. They have a small kick of spicing and are ideal for cocktail parties or as a small dessert at this time of year.

What is more, they are incredibly low in fat and are packed with goodness thanks to the sweet potatoes and bananas, making them a guilt-free pud!

Seriously Scrumptious Sweet Potato Pies

Makes approx. 24

For the Pie:
500g pre-made shortcrust pastry
4 medium sweet potatoes
1 medium banana, ripe, mashed
1 large egg
120ml skimmed milk
2 tablespoons brown sugar
½ tsp ginger
½ tsp vanilla extract
For the Meringue:
2 egg whites
110g caster sugar
60ml water
pinch of salt



Begin by preparing the sweet potato puree. Pierce the sweet potatoes all over with a knife, and place in the microwave. Bake the sweet potatoes until they are cooked through and soft, about 8 -10 minutes. Once the sweet potatoes are cool enough to handle, split them down the middle and scoop out the flesh, and add it to a food processor. Process until a smooth puree forms. 

Preheat the oven to 180C/350°F. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the short crust pastry until it is ½cm thick. Using a 3 1/2-inch round cutter, cut out rounds of dough, gathering the scraps and re-rolling the dough to the same thickness. Gently place each circle into the well of a lightly greased cupcake tin. It's ok if you need to overlap the dough onto itself.

In a bowl, combine the sweet potato puree, mashed banana, egg, milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract. Use a handheld electric whisk to mix the ingredients together until they are smooth and well combined. Divide the pie filling equally among the prepared mini pie shells, and smooth the tops with an offset spatula. Bake the mini pies for about 32 minutes, turning round the tray halfway through, until the pastry is a light golden brown and the filling is set and puffed slightly. Allow the pies to cool to room temperature.

Just before serving the pies, prepare the meringue. In a saucepan, combine the sugar and water, and heat, without stirring, until it becomes syrupy and reaches 234°F on a sugar thermometer. While the syrup is heating, whip the two egg whites until soft peaks form. Once the sugar has reached the correct temperature, drizzle the syrup into the egg whites, all while mixing and turning the speed up to medium high. Beat until stiff peaks form. Beat in the salt.

Transfer the meringue to a piping bag fitted with a decorative tip. Remove the mini pies from the cupcake tin, and place on a baking tray. Pipe a swirl of meringue onto each cupcake (you may not use all of the meringue). Place the tray with the mini pies underneath the grill set to high for a few minutes. Keep an eye on them, as you don't want them to burn! Alternatively, use a blowtorch to colour the tops. Remove the mini pies from the oven once the meringue is a light golden brown colour.