Here’s a sweet Southern dish from the heart of Texas; the recipe originated from the Dallas-based mother of a friend of Epicurious member Tina Jones. The spuds are baked with a blend of milk, vanilla, sugar, and butter, and topped with a crunchy walnut topping. This goes with almost any roasted meat.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 6 to 8 servings

　　3 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 5 medium)

　　1/2 cup whole milk

　　2 large eggs

　　11 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

　　1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

　　3/4 cup sugar

　　1 teaspoon kosher salt

　　1 cup chopped walnuts

　　1/3 cup all-purpose flour

　　3/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar

　　

Step 1

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F. Arrange the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet and bake until very tender, 60 to 90 minutes, depending on the thickness of the potato.

　　

Step 2

Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, scoop out the flesh and transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat the potatoes until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the milk, eggs, half the melted butter, the vanilla, sugar, and salt and stir to combine; the mixture will be somewhat thin. Transfer to a 2-quart baking dish and set aside.

　　

Step 3

In a small bowl, stir together the walnuts, flour, and brown sugar, then drizzle with the remaining melted butter and stir to combine. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the sweet potato mash. Bake until the topping is golden brown and the sweet potato mixture is slightly puffed, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

　　The Epicurious Cookbook