Sweet Potato Pie ~ A Gluten-Free Recipe with GAPS & Paleo Options

Sweet potato pie is a huge part of holiday feasts in some circles.  In others, it's never even made an appearance, which is a travesty.  Let's change this, for the sake of humanity and historic preservation.  This yummy dessert has been brought out of ovens with gloved hands since before these States were Untied. Sweet potato pie made it's debut in the 16th century and has been enjoyed ever since.  

This gluten-free rendition of it is a modified version of Paula Deen's filling and Elana's crust.  It worked out really well.  I wasn't planning on posting about it or more pictures would have been taken (and better ones at that), but I don't want to forget this compilation and all the tweaks made, so please forgive the lack of quality and quantity when it comes to the photographs.

Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Pie

Prep time: 30 minutes, bake time: 2 hours (divided), 8-10 servings

For the crust:

• 2 cups blanched almond flour
• 1/2 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
• 2 tablespoons butter or coconut oil
• 1 egg

For the filling:

• 2 cups sweet potatoes (or yams), about 2
• 1 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter or 8 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (learn how to make your own here)
• 1/4 teaspoon Celtic sea salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 cup milk (dairy or coconut)

For the topping:

• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 cup honey or grade B maple syrup

1. Preheat oven to 350º.  Peel sweet potatoes, cut them into fourths, and place in pot.  Fill with water just to cover sweet potatoes.  Cover and bring to a boil, boiling for 15-25 minutes, or until the pieces are very soft.
2. While the sweet potatoes boil, assemble crust by placing all crust ingredients in the food processor and run it until the dough forms a ball.  Press dough into a 9-inch pie pan.
3. Place all filling ingredients into the mixer and mix until well-combined.  Pour filling into the prepared crust.  If you have any leftover filling, simply grease a glass dish of your choice (bread, another pie dish, or in some ramekins) and bake along with the pie.  Then you'll have some yummy custard.  Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a clean knife pierced in the middle of the pie comes out.  Cool completely on a cooling rack.
4. To make the meringue topping, whip egg whites in your mixer with a whisk attachment until peeks form.  As it continues to whip, slowly pour in maple syrup.  Using a spatula. spread topping over the pie, making sure you can't see any of the filling underneath.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the topping's peeks are lightly brown.  Allow to cool and serve slightly warm or completely cool.

I'm sharing this at Monday Mania, Pennywise Platter, Simple Lives Thursday.