Best Sweet Potato Sonker Recipes

SWEET POTATO SONKER WITH MILK DIP

Steps:

• Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Using a pastry blender or fork and knife, cut in the butter. Make sure pea-sized butter chunks remain to help keep the crust flaky.
• Lightly beat the egg in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk in the ice-cold water and the vinegar.
• Pour the liquid mixture into the flour-butter mixture, and combine using a wooden spoon. Mix until the dough comes together in a shaggy mass. Be careful not to overmix. Use floured hands to divide the dough in half and then form into 2 balls. Wrap each ball tightly in plastic wrap. Let them chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before rolling out and beginning the sonker recipe.
• Butter and lightly flour a 13x9-inch baking dish (see Note).
• On a floured surface, roll out one chilled dough ball into a large rectangle that will fit into the baking dish. Transfer the rolled-out dough to the prepared baking dish, and press it down gently to line the dish and form the bottom crust. Place the dish in the refrigerator to chill.
• Put the whole peeled sweet potatoes in a large pot, add cold water to cover, and add the salt. Place the pot over medium heat, cover, and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 25 minutes.
• Use a large slotted spoon to transfer the cooked potatoes to a cutting board to cool. Measure out and reserve 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid to use later. Slice the cooled sweet potatoes into rounds, making them as thin as possible without breaking them.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Remove the dough-lined pan from the refrigerator and layer the sliced sweet potatoes on top of the crust. In a medium bowl, combine 1 cup of the sugar, the sorghum, the 1/3 cup flour, the butter, and the 1½ cups reserved cooking liquid. Mix well and pour over the sweet potatoes.
• Roll out the remaining dough ball into a rectangle a little smaller than the first. Cut it into strips that are about 1/2 inch wide, and form a lattice crust on top of the sweet potatoes.
• Bake for about 40 minutes, until the crust is golden brown (the sonker will not be fully baked at this point).
• While the sonker is baking, prepare the milk dip: Whisk 1/2 cup of the milk with the cornstarch in a medium saucepan, making sure all the cornstarch is dissolved. Add the remaining 2 1/2 cups milk and the remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Set the pan over medium-high heat and let it come to a boil. Let boil for 1 minute to thicken. Then remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
• When the sonker has cooked for 40 minutes, pour 2 cups of the prepared milk dip over the entire surface. Return the sonker to the oven and bake for 15 minutes more or until it is caramelized around the edges and brown on top. Remove the dish from the oven and let it cool for at least 20 minutes before serving; the milk will continue to be absorbed and thicken.
• Serve the sonker just warm, with the remaining milk dip on the side for drizzling.

SWEET POTATO SONKER

Steps:

• FOR THE SONKER: Working on lightly floured counter, unroll 2 dough rounds. Brush half of 1 round with egg and overlap with second round. Roll out dough to 17 by 13-inch rectangle and fit into 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Repeat shaping and rolling with remaining 2 dough rounds; reserve beaten egg. Trim dough into rectangle and cut into ten 1-inch strips. Transfer dough strips to parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, cover with plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Bring cider to boil in Dutch oven. Place steamer basket in Dutch oven and fill with sweet potatoes. Reduce heat to medium and cook, covered, until potatoes are nearly tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove and reserve sweet potatoes, leaving cider in pot.
• Cook cider over high heat until reduced to ½ cup, about 5 minutes. Combine drained sweet potatoes, brown sugar, reduced cider, butter, flour, lemon juice, vanilla, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, allspice, and salt in large bowl. Spread out sweet potato mixture on rimmed baking sheet and let cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
• Scrape cooled sweet potato mixture into dough-lined dish and press into even layer. Brush edges of dough with reserved egg. With long side of dish facing you, lay 4 dough strips lengthwise over sweet potato mixture. Weave remaining 6 strips into lattice pattern. Press dough strips into bottom crust and trim excess. Fold dough sides inward under lip of baking dish and crimp with fork.
• Combine granulated sugar and remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in bowl. Brush dough with reserved egg and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15 minutes. Uncover and bake until deep golden brown, 55 to 60 minutes, rotating dish halfway through baking. Let sonker cool on wire rack for at least 1 1/2 hours before serving. (Sonker can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 1 day. Bring to room temperature before serving.)
• FOR THE CUSTARD DIP: Meanwhile, bring milk, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt to simmer in medium saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, whisking frequently, until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Off heat, add vanilla. Transfer to bowl and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Serve with sonker.

SWEET POTATO SONKER PIE

Steps:

• Cover whole sweet potatoes in water and boil for 20 minutes or until soft and done. Remove, cool and discard sweet potato skins. Save 1 cup of the cooking liquid. Cool, then slice enough of the sweet potatoes to yield 4 cups. Line pie plate with 1 crust. Layer sweet potato slices in pie crust, filling to edges. Combine 2 cups sugar with 3/4 of the reserved cooking liquid and pour over sweet potatoes. Add additional liquid if necessary to just cover sweet potatoes. Sprinkle pie with nutmeg and dot with butter. Cut second pie crust into 1/2-inch strips and crisscross on top of sweet potatoes to make a lattice covering. Crimp the pastry edges together. Dust the top of pie with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Bake at 350°F for 40 to 45 minutes or until top crust is browned. Cool before serving.