Ingredients:
5 sweet potatoes (about 12 ounce or 340 grams each)
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup (60 grams) tahini
3 tablespoons (45 grams) pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/3 cup (110 grams) light corn syrup
1/3 cup (40 grams) confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Poke the sweet potatoes a few times each with a fork. Place on a baking sheet and bake until tender all the way through, about 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool just until you can handle them.
- Split the sweet potatoes lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large bowl, leaving a shell of sweet potato flesh about 1/4 -inch thick. Discard 2 shells so you have 8 all together. Season the inside of the 8 with 1 teaspoon of salt and pepper and place back on the baking sheet.
- To the sweet potatoes in the bowl, add the tahini, maple syrup, butter, 1 teaspoon salt, cinnamon and ginger. Mash with a fork or masher until smooth. Spoon back into the shells and bake until the sides are crisped and browned, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, to make the meringue, whisk the egg whites in a stand mixer on medium speed until foamy, about 30 seconds. Add the cream of tartar, and beat to combine. Add the corn syrup, confectioner’s sugar, vanilla and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Whisk on medium high speed until stiff peaks form, scraping the bowl down with a spatula once or twice as you go, about 2 minutes.
- Transfer the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a piping tip of your choice (such as a large open star tip, large or medium round) and decorate the potato with the meringue. Alternatively, you can spoon a heaping dollop on top. Toast with a kitchen blow torch (or broil) to desired brownness. Serve immediately.