Liberian Sweet Potato Pone Food

SWEET POTATO PONE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9-inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
• Whisk together the butter with the brown sugar and molasses in a bowl. Whisk in the eggs, half-and-half and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the salt, spices, orange zest and juice. Fold in the sweet potatoes. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish, then smooth the top and cover with foil.
• Bake until the center is set and the potatoes are soft, about 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until bubbling and starting to brown on the edges, another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature. Serve chilled or at room temperature with the Eggnog Whipped Cream.
• Add the whipping cream, confectioners' sugar and nutmeg to the chilled bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or a chilled large bowl if using a hand mixer) and whisk on high speed until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Fold in the eggnog.

SWEET POTATO PONE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a casserole dish with butter or oil.
• Place the sweet potato chunks into a large pot and cover with salted water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
• Mash the potatoes with a potato masher. Add the brown sugar, butter, condensed milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt to the mashed potato; beat with a wire whisk until fluffy. Crack the eggs into the bowl and continue whisking until the mixture is light in color; pour into the prepared dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 90 minutes.

LIBERIAN SWEET POTATO PONE

Steps:

• In a 3-quart saucepan, combine all ingredients and simmer slowly, stirring constantly, for 10 minutes.
• Pour into well-greased 9-inch baking pan.
• Bake at 325F for 30 minutes, stirring up every 5 minutes for the first 20 minutes.
• Smooth down the top and allow to brown.
• Cut into squares and serve either hot or cold.

SWEET POTATO PONE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Cook the potatoes unpeeled until tender throughout.
• Let cool.
• Peel and mash the potatoes, then stir in melted butter.
• In a bowl, beat the eggs, add sugar and beat thoroughly.
• Add milk, vanilla, molasses, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and orange zest.
• Beat until well blended.
• Stir into mashed sweet potatoes, then mix until well blended.
• Place the mixture into a buttered 1-1/2 quart baking dish.
• Optionally, you may sprinkle the top of the pone with additional brown sugar.
• Cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes ; uncover, then bake for 10 minutes.
• Allow the pone to cool completely before serving.

SWEET POTATO PONE (CAJUN)

Steps:

• FOR THE PONE: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F, then butter a 9"x9"x2" baking dish.
• In a mixing bowl, with a hand-held mixer, cream the sugar & butter, then gradually beat in the molasses & orange juice.
• In another container, from the 1 lemon, mince the zest & set it aside while removing & discarding the white pith from the lemon. After that, seed the lemon & chop the pulp fine, before adding this pulp to the sugar/butter mixture, along with the orange zest, eggs, seasonings & brandy, mixing well to combine.
• Add the grated sweet potatoes & mix well, then smooth this mixture into the prepared baking dish & bake for 1 hour.
• FOR THE CANDIED LEMON SLICES: Meanwhile, cut the 2 lemons crosswise into 1/8-inch slices & remove the seeds.
• In a covered pan, boil the sugar with the water for 5 minutes, then remove the cover & boil rapidly until syrup reaches the soft-ball stage (236 degrees F), then remove the pan from the heat.
• Dip lemon slices in the syrup & put them on a baking sheet to dry until ready to use.
• As soon as the pone is done, transfer the entire pone square to a rack to cool.
• When cooled, cut into 12 bars & top each with a candied lemon slice.

SWEET POTATO PONE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F.
• Combine ingredients and mix thoroughly; transfer to greased shallow pan or skillet and bake for about 2 hours.
• Serve hot with a hard sauce or cold with whipped cream.