For A Twist On A Holiday Classic, Try A Sweet Potato Cobbler

Sweet potatoes are a staple at many holiday meals. They are the main ingredient in classic recipes such as rich Southern-style sweet potato pie and traditional sweet potato casserole. However, while these may be some of the more well-known dishes featuring this vegetable, they're not the only ones that could be a showcase for sweet potatoes. Another way to incorporate them into your holiday spread is to make a sweet potato cobbler.

This dish is similar to other fruit versions such as peach cobbler, except that it features a rich filling made of cubes, chunks, or slices of the classic holiday veggie. Plus, it's often filled with tasty holiday spices such as cinnamon that give it a cozy, wintery feel.

If the idea of making this dish has you intrigued, there are a couple of things you should know before you make sweet potato cobbler. And, of course, it also pays to have a few ideas in mind of what to pair with it when you serve it.

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Sweet Potato Cobbler 101

Before diving right into making a sweet potato cobbler, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. Firstly, you want to think about the vegetables that you use. You can use either canned or fresh sweet potatoes in a cobbler, although fresh sweet potatoes will generally give your cobbler a richer flavor.

The next thing to consider is what spices you'll use. Cinnamon and nutmeg are common picks, but you can also add a bit of ginger, cloves, or even a dash of cardamom. Feel free to experiment with other "winter" spices, such as allspice, star anise, and mace, to create a unique flavor that speaks to your preferences.

When thinking about what type of topping to make for your sweet potato cobbler, know that you can use whatever type you use for your other fruit cobblers. The traditional cobbler topping is flour, sugar, and melted butter mixed into a dough and plopped by the spoonful all around the top of the cobbler. You can also use pieces of premade pie crust or even make scone dough for an unexpected treat.

Additionally, you could also use yams instead of sweet potatoes for a similar-tasting cobbler. Technically speaking, yams and sweet potatoes are not the same thing; importantly for cobbler, yams are not nearly as sweet so if you go that route, you may need to adjust your recipe accordingly.

Pairings For Sweet Potato Cobbler

Once you've made your sweet potato cobbler, it's time to think about what to pair it with. As with more traditional fruit versions of this dessert, a scoop of vanilla ice cream is a great choice. Or, consider a scoop of sweet butter pecan ice cream, to add a seasonal, nutty flavor to your dessert. Conversely, you could go for a cinnamon ice cream to bring out the spices in the cobbler. And of course, it's up to you whether you use a storebought variety or try your hand at making homemade ice cream.

Sweet potato cobbler accompaniments include more than ice cream, of course. Why not try topping the cobbler with a dollop of whipped cream? And why stick with classic but plain vanilla whipped cream when you could create a holiday version by whipping in some allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, or cloves? You could even give your dessert a boozy spin by making alcohol-infused whipped cream. Or, move away from whipped cream entirely, and sprinkle your sweet potato cobbler with a tasty streusel topping to give it a bit of crunch. Regardless of which finishing touches you choose, this holiday season, experiment with a sweet potato cobbler for a twist on the traditional inclusions to your holiday spread.

Read the original article on Daily Meal.