How Tell If Your Sweet Potato Pie Is Done Baking
The warming character of cinnamon and ginger imbues a sweet potato pie with an aromatic quality. However, its sumptuous texture comes from the consistency of the pureed sweet potatoes, sugar, and eggs that are combined to make its custard filling. Overcook your pie and this ochre-colored filling can become rubbery and dense, but undercook it and it won't be hardy enough to slice into wedges. The best way to tell if your sweet potato pie is done baking is to check for visual clues. Alternatively, you can use a thermometer to get a reading of its internal temperature.
A pie that's at the perfect sweet spot will have three key hallmarks; golden pastry, a set outer circumference, and a jiggly middle. The first two can be assessed instantly by eye but you'll need to give your pie dish a gentle nudge (a jiggle test, if you may) to gauge the final sign. The center should have a slight wobble when you give it a tap, much like other pies that feature eggs, such as custard or lemon tarts. Taking the pie out of the oven at this point will ensure it has enough body and structure to slice through seamlessly while the middle has a tender, silky texture (the residual heat will be more than enough to cook off any egg so don't worry about it being raw in the center).
Insert a skewer into the edge of your pie to check for doneness
The second way to test if your sweet potato pie is done baking, is to poke a skewer or cake tester into the very edge. If it comes out clean, your pie is likely ready. If it's sticky, give it a few more minutes. However, this technique will leave a mark, albeit a small one, on the surface of your pie. While this isn't a problem if you're planning on topping your dish with whipped cream, streusel, or chopped pecans, it can look unsightly on an unadorned pie that you want to serve simply in an elegant fashion. This is where the jiggle test outshines the skewer test. If you want to be absolutely sure that your pie is done and don't care about leaving marks on the surface, use a tool like this digital cooking thermometer to check its internal temperature (it should be around 175 degrees Fahrenheit).
The biggest mistake when making sweet potato pie is taking shortcuts by using canned ingredients. If possible, consider roasting fresh sweet potatoes. This move will allow you to cook your tubers down until they develop a delicious, concentrated caramelized note. But why stop there? Feel free to customize a homemade pie crust by adding lemon zest (that lifts the heaviness of the rich filling) or experimenting with crimping techniques to create a dessert with a pretty homespun appearance.