SOUTHERN SWEET POTATO PIE

SOUTHERN SWEET POTATO PIE FOR PIE 2 large sweet potatoes 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), room temperature/softened 1/2 cup white sugar 2 eggs 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk 2 teaspoons vanilla 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 deep dish pie crust (homemade or store bought FOR LEAVES 1 rolled out pie crust (homemade or store bought) FOR WHIPPED CREAM 1 tablespoon sugar 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream 1 teaspoon vanilla Preheat oven to 425F. Peel the sweet potatoes. Cube them and toss them into a pot of cold water. Bring the water to a boil and cook the sweet potatoes for about 15 minutes or until tender. Drain sweet potatoes, let them cool and pour them into a food processor. Blend until smooth. In a bowl (or a stand mixer) cream the sugar and butter together. Mix 2 cups of the smooth sweet potatoes and both eggs. Mix milk in until smooth. Mix in the cinnamon and vanilla. Mix well, taste and adjust spice if needed. Pour into prepared pie crust. Bake at 425F for 15 minutes. While the pie is baking, work on the leaves. Roll the other pie dough out and use a sharp knife to carefully cut out leaves. Use the pack of the knife to press a vein down the center of each leaf. Then use the back of the knife to press three or four veins into the side of each leaf. Remove the pie from the oven. CAREFUL, IT'S HOT! Place the leaves around the crust of the pie overlapping each one using a bit of water to water as glue to glue the leaves down. To keep the leaves from burning use a pie crust cover or use some foil to create a pie crust cover around the edges of the pie while it bakes. Lower the oven to 350F and bake for 45 minutes. FOR WHIPPED CREAM Combine heavy cream, sugar and vanilla in a stand mixer. Whip on high for 3-5 minutes. Keep an eye on it. It\'s done once it gets thick. NOTES Serve Sweet Potato Pie Chilled or at Room Temperature Add whipped cream to top right before serving.