Molasses Sweet Potato Bars
 
Makes 9
Ingredients
  • Shortbread Crust (recipe follows)
  • 3 cups warm mashed baked sweet potato
  • 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
  • ¾ cup evaporated milk
  • ¼ cup molasses
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • Molasses Whipped Cream (recipe follows)
  • Garnish: molasses
Shortbread Crust
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ⅓ cup cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Molasses Whipped Cream
  • 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon molasses
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, letting excess extend over sides. Spray lightly with cooking spray.
  2. Press Shortbread Crust evenly into bottom of prepared pan. Freeze until dough is firm, about 10 minutes. Bake until crust is light golden brown around edges, about 15 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together warm mashed sweet potato, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, molasses, eggs, melted butter, flour, cinnamon, salt, vanilla, ginger, and nutmeg until well combined. Pour filling over warm crust.
  4. Bake until filling is set and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 175°, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool completely in pan. Remove from pan using excess parchment as handles. Trim edges and cut into 9 squares using a hot dry knife. Serve with Molasses Whipped Cream. Garnish with molasses, if desired.
Shortbread Crust
  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt. With mixer on low speed, add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating until combined.
Molasses Whipped Cream
  1. In a large cold bowl, beat all ingredients with a mixer at medium speed until medium to stiff peaks form. Serve immediately.
Recipe by Taste of the South at https://tasteofthesouthmagazine.com/molasses-sweet-potato-bars/