How Long Should You Let Sweet Potato Pie Rest?
Who says it has to be Thanksgiving to whip up a rich and creamy sweet potato pie? The blend of sweet potatoes, heavy cream, and eggs, per MasterClass, are perfect for any time of the year, especially since it's so easy to make.
Cooked sweet potatoes are peeled, mashed, and mixed with butter, brown sugar, and spices like ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon. The mixture is then poured into a pie shell, either pre-made or homemade, and baked until the filling is set and the crust takes on that golden-brown color. The result should be rich, creamy, and faintly reminiscent of classic pumpkin pie. Sometimes this deliciousness is also topped with whipped cream, ice cream, or toasted marshmallows for a dash of extra decadence.
Like steak, sweet potato pie needs to rest after being baked, and many home cooks make the mistake of slicing into it as soon as it's out of the oven. So the question is, how long should you let it rest?
Give it time to cool
According to TheKitchn, you should let a sweet potato pie cool and rest for a minimum of four hours, but you should aim for 24 hours for the best results. Southern Living also agrees and notes that no traces of warmth should remain underneath the pie pan. And if you want to refrigerate your baked delicacy for longer, go for it, as this picturesque pie can sit in the fridge for a maximum of three days.
It might be tempting to rest your sweet potato pie on the counter for aromatic and aesthetic purposes, but Prepared Cooks emphasizes that this may lead to food poisoning. Such recipes typically call for milk and eggs, which require immediate refrigeration, so if your pie is left out at room temperature for longer than two hours, it needs to be thrown out, according to the USDA. However, if the temperature is at 90 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, this time decreases to one hour.
We understand the temptation of devouring a baked sweet potato pie fresh out of the oven. But all good things come from patience, and if you wait at least four hours for it to cool and rest in the fridge, you'll be rewarded with a firm filling that holds its shape after slicing.