Sweet Potato Sonker is a good choice if you’re in the mood for a classic sweet potato dessert reminiscent of a cobbler! With a luscious sweet potato filling and a crust on top, this dessert is complemented by a delectable milk dip sauce that binds all the satisfying flavors together.
What is a Sonker?
Sonkers often spark debate–are they just another name for pie or cobbler? While some may argue that they are, sonkers possess unique characteristics that set them apart from traditional pies.
Origins of Sonker
Even though there is a lot of disagreement on how cooks make sonkers, there is agreement on its origin. It is from Surry County in western North Carolina. People there are famous for their sonkers. Traditionally, recipes are passed orally to new generations, while some appear in family and community cookbooks. Surry County even has a Sonker Festival that follows a trail with different sonker tastings available along the way.
Sonkers are Made with Fruit or Sweet Potatoes
Sonkers are made with various fruit fillings, but sweet potatoes are often considered the classic choice. Sweet potatoes are boiled whole until they become fork-tender. Then, they are sliced and placed into a crust, with some of the reserved boiling water added to make a sweet sauce.
Sweet Potato Sonkers are Made in a Deep Pan
Sonkers usually are made in a deep square or rectangular pan. They are known for being juicy, so the pan needs to be deep enough to hold all the juice!
Sweet Potato Sonkers Have a Top Crust
Many times lattice crusts top a sonker. For a different twist, try cutting out pie pastry with a cookie cutter to top the sonker. Some people use a pour-on crust for sonkers, which consists of equal parts self-rising flour, melted butter, and sugar. Regardless of which crust you use, sonkers are always covered with a crust.
Sweet Potato Sonkers are Juicy
Sonkers have a reputation for being juicy pies, and there is a sauce that helps them achieve their juicy status. It is known as milk dip.
What is Sweet Potato Sonker Milk Dip?
Milk dip is a white sauce usually made from milk or cream, sugar, a thickener, and vanilla. It is heated on top of the stove while the sonker bakes. Then, the sonker is removed from the oven just before it finishes baking. Half of the milk dip is poured over the pie. Then, the pie is placed back into the oven to finish baking.
How to Assemble a Sweet Potato Sonker
Follow these steps to make a sweet potato sonker.
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Serving Sweet Potato Sonker
Serve this sonker warm out of the oven and pour leftover milk dip over the servings. Or place a little into a small bowl and dip right into the warm dip, hence the name–milk dip.
Sweet Potato Sonker
Equipment
- 8 x 8-inch pie dish
Ingredients
Pie
- 2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 4)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 pie crusts
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ cup potato water
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- cooking spray
Milk Topping
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ¼ cup + 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
Pie
- Peel the sweet potatoes and place them into a medium-sized pan. Cover them with cold water, add the salt, and boil for 20-30 minutes or until tender. Scoop the potatoes from the water and place them onto a platter to cool. Save ¾ cup of the cooking water.
- When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, slice them.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Roll one pie crust large enough to fit into an 8 x 8-inch pan sprayed with cooking spray. Cut off any overhanging dough.
- Place the sliced potatoes into the pie crust, evenly spreading them.
- In a medium bowl, place the sugars, flour, and cinnamon. Whisk to blend and break up any lumps. Add the potato water, melted butter, and vanilla. Stir. Pour this mixture over the potatoes in the pie crust.
- Use the other crust to make a top for the pie. Cut out shapes like leaves or make a traditional lattice crust top. Bake the pie for 40 minutes.
- Remove the pie from the oven and pour about half the milk dip over it. Cook for an additional 10 minutes. Pour the rest of the dip over individual servings.
Milk Topping
- While the pie bakes, stir until smooth 1 tablespoon of the milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl. Pour this cornstarch mixture into the rest of the milk and stir.
- Add the milk, cornstarch mixture, sugar, and cinnamon to a medium-sized saucepan. Stir and bring to a boil to slightly thicken the mixture. Stir constantly.
- Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and 2 tablespoons butter. Stir to melt the butter.