Earlier this summer I subscribed to a new magazine. A cooking magazine of course. Louisiana Cookin’. While it is not a new magazine I just found out about it. When the October 2012 issue arrived I scanned through it and was immediately drawn to a brownie recipe. No ordinary recipe. The brownies were one of the winners of the magazine’s annual Sweet Rewards Recipe Contest. And it wasn’t really the sweet potatoes in the brownies that caught my eye, it was the topping – Pecan Praline. WOWZA!! How could I pass that up?

Sweet Potato Praline Brownies {submitted by Dana Territa}

    1 large sweet potato
    5 large egg whites
    1 cup softened unsalted butter, divided
    1 cup sugar
    l/2 cup (hopped pecans, divided
    1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
    1/2 teaspoon baking powder
    2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
    1 cup brown sugar
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    1/2 cup evaporated milk
    1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

Prick sweet potato allover with a fork. Wrap in a wet paper towel, and microwave on high heat for 5 minutes. Continue to microwave in 2-minute intervals until soft. Set aside to cool. Once potato is cool, peel, mash, and reserve pulp.

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
In a large bowl, beat egg whites at high speed with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1/2 cup butter and
sugar. Using the paddle attachment, beat at medium speed until combined.
Add cocoa powder, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Gently fold in egg whites to combine. Stir in 1/2 cup pecans and sweet potato. Transfer to prepared pan, and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until center is firm.

In a heavy saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter over medium heat. And brown sugar and salt, and bring to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and slowly whisk in evaporated milk. Return saucepan to stove and bring mixture to a boil again. Boil, stirring constantly, until mixture reaches 230° on a candy thermometer (soft ball stage). Remove from heat, and stir for 2 minutes; let cool to lukewarm. Add remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla and confectioners’ sugar. Stir until combined. Pour mixture over warm brownies, and top with remaining 1 cup pecans.

Let cool to room temperature before cutting.

I made these exactly as the recipe listed except I made up my own evaporated milk. I don’t know if that was a good idea or not. The brownies NEVER got solid enough to slice. I had to chill them before I could slice them and even then they could only be eaten with a fork. I have no idea why this happened.

These were so completely delicious. You could not really taste the sweet potato in the brownies. Or at least I couldn’t. But THAT TOPPING!! O My Word!! I might use the topping on my favorite brownies. And maybe add in the sweet potatoes.

Okay, one more look!!

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