Here, I’ve created my version of sweet potato pie, but it’s not as heavy and not as sweet. The cranberry foam gives a nice added pop of acidity.

　　

Ingredients

serves 14 to 15

　　

For the Cranberry Filling

1/2 cup (124g) Simple Syrup (page 184)

　　1/2 cup (120g) water

　　3/4 cup (100g) dried cranberries

　　

For the Cake

1 pound sweet potatoes

　　1/4 cup (30g) all-purpose flour

　　3/4 teaspoon (3g) baking powder

　　1/8 teaspoon (1g) baking soda

　　Coarse salt

　　3 tablespoons (45g) heavy cream

　　5 large egg yolks

　　5 tablespoons (75g) unsalted butter, melted

　　3 large egg whites

　　1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar

　　Turbinado sugar

　　

For the Cranberry Foam

2 2/3 cups (340g) fresh cranberries

　　1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (100g) Simple Syrup (page 184)

　　2 1/2 teaspoons (2.5g) Versa-Whip 600K (see Note)

　　1/4 teaspoon (0.3g) xanthan gum

　　

For the Date Puree

3 1/2 ounces (100g) fresh dates

　　1 1/4 cups (300g) water

　　

To Serve

Flax Seed Tuiles (page 206)

　　

For the Cranberry Filling

Step 1

Put the simple syrup and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the cranberries and bring back to a boil. Turn off the heat and leave the cranberries to plump for 30 minutes. Drain well.

　　

For the Cake

Step 2

Heat the oven to 425°F or 400°F on convection.

　　

Step 3

Prick the sweet potatoes in several places with the tip of a paring knife. Place on a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil and bake until the potatoes are very tender and the juices that have seeped out have caramelized, about 1 hour. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and put through a food mill to make a puree. Put the puree in a saucepan and cook, stirring often, until the puree is very dry. Measure out 1 1/2 cups.

　　

Step 4

Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (350°F if you’re using convection). Spray fourteen to fifteen 2 x 2-inch ring molds with cooking spray and coat the insides with sugar. Set them on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat or parchment.

　　

Step 5

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and a pinch of salt together.

　　

Step 6

Put the heavy cream, egg yolks, and melted butter in a mixing bowl. Whisk until very smooth but not frothy. Whisk in the warm sweet potato puree. Whisk in the dry ingredients, beating just until smooth.

　　

Step 7

Put the egg whites in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk. Turn it on to low, and beat the whites gently for 2 minutes, to start establishing a structure. The whites will look frothy but still a bit wet. Turn the speed up to medium and add 3 tablespoons of the granulated sugar. Continue to beat at medium speed until the whites have body and are just shy of having soft peaks. Add 3 more tablespoons of the sugar and continue beating until the whites have formed firm peaks. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and beat until the whites are glossy and smooth and almost stiff.

　　

Step 8

Fold one-quarter of the whites into the batter to lighten it. Fold in the remaining whites, gently but thoroughly.

　　

Step 9

Fill a pastry bag with the batter and pipe into the molds, filling them one-quarter of the way up. Make a layer of the cranberry filling, then pipe in more batter to fill the rings two-thirds full. Sprinkle the tops with turbinado sugar. Bake until a knife comes out clean, about 20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.

　　

Step 10

Let cool on a rack for a minute or so, then remove the rings. Let cool completely.

　　

For the Cranberry Foam

Step 11

Set up an ice bath in a large bowl.

　　

Step 12

Put the cranberries and simple syrup in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer until the cranberries pop and have broken down a bit.

　　

Step 13

Scrape into a blender and make a smooth puree. Strain through a fine strainer into a medium bowl (discard the solids) and set into the ice bath, stirring often to chill completely.

　　

Step 14

Sprinkle the Versa-Whip and xanthan gum over the surface of the cranberry puree and whisk in slowly and thoroughly. Whisk until very light and airy, the consistency of shaving cream. Refrigerate, covered with plastic wrap, until you’re ready to serve or for up to 5 hours.

　　

For the Date Puree

Step 15

Pit and chop the dates. Put them in a small saucepan with the water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn off the heat and let the dates sit for 10 minutes.

　　

Step 16

Put the dates and liquid in a blender and make a smooth puree. Strain through a fine strainer (discard the solids).

　　

To Serve

Step 17

Smear a layer of the date puree across half a dessert plate. Set a sweet potato cake on the puree.

　　

Step 18

Whip the cranberry foam with a whisk to restore its consistency (it falls sometimes) and put a scoop of it next to the cake. Garnish with a tuile. Repeat for each serving.

　　

make it simpler

Step 19

Here’s an alternative to the cranberry foam. Make the cranberry puree and mix it with an equal amount of heavy cream. Pour it into a soda siphon and charge it with a cream whipper charger (N2O). Give it a good shake and try a squirt; if it’s not carbonated enough for your liking, use a second charger. Make a variationof the Crispy Almond Phyllo (page 211) to stand in for the tuile; replace the almond flour with whole flax seeds.

　　Cooks' Note

　　Versa-Whip is a brand name for hydrolyzed soy protein, which acts as the emulsifier and whipping agent in this foam. You can buy it online from Terra Spice Company.

　　Reprinted with permission from Dessert Fourplay: Sweet Quartets from a Four-Star Pastry Chef by Johnny Iuzzini and Roy Finamore. Copyright © 2008 by Johnny Iuzzini and Roy Finamore. Published by Crown Publishing. All Rights Reserved.Johnny Iuzzini,, executive pastry chef of the world-renowned Jean Georges restaurant in New York City, won the award for Outstanding Pastry Chef from the James Beard Foundation in 2006. This is his first book.Roy Finamore, a publishing veteran of more than thirty years, has worked with many bestselling cookbook authors. He is the author of three books: One Potato, Two Potato; Tasty, which won a James Beard Foundation award; and Fish Without a Doubt.__