4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices
1/2 cup pecans, whole
1/2 cup pecans, crushed
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup whiskey
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 cup brown sugar
Preheat the oven to 375 F. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish, and set aside.
Arrange the sweet potatoes on a baking tray. Bake until the potatoes are soft and fork tender, about 20-25 minutes. Once soft, remove from oven and set aside to cool.
While the potatoes are baking, in a small sauté pan add all the pecans, and gently toast them over medium heat.
Add butter to the pan until melted, fully coating all the pecans.
Add the maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and allspice to the pan, stirring carefully and fully coating all the pecans. Allow to simmer, about 5 minutes.
Add the whiskey to the pan, and simmer until all the alcohol has burned off, and the pecans are caramelized. CAUTION! If using a gas stove, the whiskey may flambé when you add it to the pan. Be careful!
Tile the sweet potato slices in the greased baking dish, alternating between a layer of potato and a layer of the whiskey pecan mixture. Repeat until all the ingredients are used, and finish with the crushed pecans on top.
Crumble the brown sugar over the top of the dish, and place in the preheated oven until the potatoes start to turn brown on the edges and the brown sugar has melted throughout, about 15-20 minutes.
Remove from the oven, allow to cool for 5 minutes, and serve directly from the baking dish.
Pro-tip: For a burst of fruit flavor, layer slices of Granny Smith apples between the sweet potato in the baking dish. It's a great combo!
Pro-tip: Use honey whiskey for an extra-sweet finish on the pecans.
