Sweet Potato Soufflé

            unsalted butter

½         cup chopped, toasted pecans

4          pounds sweet potatoes or yams

3          large eggs

2          tablespoons unsalted butter

¼         cup brown sugar

½         teaspoon kosher salt

1           teaspoon orange zest

Butter an eight-cup soufflé dish well and coat with chopped pecans, and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Wrap each potato in aluminum foil and place on a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake for about 1½ to 2 hours, until extremely soft.

Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.

Once sweet potatoes are cool enough to touch, split down the middle and scoop out the insides. Place them in the Cuisinart™ mixing bowl. Insert the chef’s whisk. Be sure to discard any dark or discolored spots. Turn to speed 4. Mix for about 2 minutes. Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and turn to speed 4 for another 2 minutes, until sweet potatoes are completely mashed.

Separate the eggs. Place the whites in a separate mixing bowl and add the yolks one at a time to the sweet potatoes with the stand mixer running on speed 2. Add the remaining ingredients in the order listed mixing on speed 3 until all of the ingredients are completely incorporated.

Transfer sweet potato mixture to a separate large mixing bowl. Wash and dry both the Cuisinart™ mixing bowl and the chef’s whisk thoroughly.

Place egg whites in Cuisinart™ mixing bowl. Insert the chef’s whisk. Turn to speed 9 for about 30 seconds. Increase to speed 12 until stiff but not dry, just until whites no longer slip when bowl is tilted, about 1½ to 1¾ minutes more. Remove bowl from stand mixer. Fold the whites into the sweet potato mixture in 3 additions, using a large rubber spatula. Pour sweet potato mixture into prepared soufflé dish.

Bake in preheated 350°F oven for about 45 minutes until the soufflé is lightly browned on top and puffed over the edge of the soufflé dish.

Serve immediately.