Cranberry Brie Hasselback Sweet Potatoes with Maple Pecans
This dish of Cranberry Brie Stuffed Sweet Potato Hasselbacks with Maple Pecans combines sweet, savoury, creamy and crunchy flavours. The tender sweet potatoes are roasted and then sliced in the Hasselback style, filled with creamy melted Brie and topped with tangy cranberries and buttery maple-glazed pecans; it is finally adorned with fresh thyme, making the sophisticated recipe an excellent choice as a delicious holiday side dish, a festive appetiser or a special item to serve at a family dinner.
Ingredients
Method
- Oven should be preheated to 400°F (200°C) and the baking sheet should be lined with parchment paper or lightly greased.
- Put a sweet potato between the handles of two wooden spoons or between two chopsticks on the cutting board and then cut across it at about ⅛-inch intervals, stopping short of the bottom in order that the slices stay joined together. Thus the traditional Hasselback look is achieved.
- In a small bowl combine the olive oil, the melted butter, the salt, the black pepper, and if using the garlic powder. Then rub this mixture onto the sweet potatoes, ensuring that some of it gets into the gaps between the slices.
- Put the sweet potatoes onto the baking sheet that has already been prepared and roast them for 35 to 45 minutes according to their size. Once or twice while they are cooking, baste them with the butter mixture and they should become tender so that a knife can slide into them easily.
- In the meantime, get ready the cranberry topping by putting the cranberries, maple syrup, water, lemon juice, and a small amount of salt into a saucepan and heating them over medium heat until they reach a gentle simmer.
- Cook the cranberry mixture for 8 to 12 minutes, stirring from time to time until the berries have softened and start to burst. Mash a few of the berries gently with the back of a spoon, keeping some whole to give a textural element. Then take the mixture off the heat and put it to one side.
- To prepare the maple pecans, place the pecans, maple syrup, butter, and a pinch of salt in a small skillet and heat them over medium-low heat. Stir the mixture for 3 to 5 minutes until the pecans are lightly toasted and covered with syrup, after which transfer them to parchment paper to cool. You must watch them carefully since the maple syrup can burn quickly.
- Take the sweet potatoes out of the oven as soon as they are tender. Put a few small pieces of Brie between some of the slices and then put them back in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes until the cheese is soft and has melted.
- Spread the cranberry topping on the sweet potatoes, making sure that some of the berries and sauce find their way between the slices. Then scatter the maple pecans over the top and add in some fresh thyme.
- You may optionally drizzle a little maple syrup over it, place it on a serving platter, and then serve it while it’s warm so that the Brie remains creamy and melted.