Sweet Potato Streusel Squares

[Mama Mangia]

Sweet Potato Streusel Squares


Filling:

3 lbs. sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 c (1/2 stick) butter, room temp.
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup half and half
2 eggs
1/3 cup chopped crystallized ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Butter 13 x 9 glass baking dish. Cook sweet potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until tender. Drain, return to same pot. Stir potatoes over medium-high heat until excess liquid evaporates. Remove from heat. Add butter and sugar and mash potatoes until almost smooth. Mix in half and half, eggs, ginger and vanilla. Season with salt. Spread in Prepared dish (filling will be about 1 inch thick).

Topping:

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temp.
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut - optional

Rub together sugar, flour and butter in medium bowl until moist crumbs form. Mix in pecans and coconut. (Filling and topping can be prepared one day ahead - cover separately and refrigerate.) Preheat oven to 350. Sprinkle topping over filling. Bake until filling is set and topping is brown, about 40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve. Makes 12 servings.