Apple Farm Inn's Sweet Potato Pie Bars

The Apple Farm Inn is noted for their fantastic bakery items. These sweet potato bars could be the new comfort food, filled with the Thanksgiving flavors of sweet potato, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla.
Servings: 20

 Cook Time: 1 1/4 hours

 Pair With: A scoop of vanilla ice cream and a snifter of Zinfandel Port.

 Source: Recipe courtesy Apple Farm Inn; photo courtesy Tama Takahashi, Food Editor.

INGREDIENTS

<p> <strong>Ingredients For the Crust:</strong><br /> 3 cups all-purpose flour<br /> 1 teaspoon salt<br /> 1 cup granulated sugar<br /> 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar<br /> 1/2 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon<br /> 3 sticks (3/4 pound) unsalted butter, cut up<br /> 2 cups finely chopped pecans, added last<br /> <br /> <strong>Ingredients For the Filling:</strong><br /> 2 pounds cooked sweet potato<br /> 1 stick (1/4 pound) melted butter<br /> 2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk<br /> 4 eggs, beaten<br /> 2 teaspoons cinnamon<br /> 1/4 teaspoon fresh nutmeg<br /> 1 teaspoon grated orange zest<br /> 1/2 teaspoons salt<br /> 1 teaspoon vanilla<br />  </p>

DIRECTIONS

<p> Directions For the Crust:<br /> Spray an 18" x 13" baking sheet (a half hotel sheet) with cooking spray. Combine flour, salt, both sugars, and cinnamon in large mixing bowl.  Add the cold butter and mix until crumbly.  Set aside 1 heaping cup of the mixture. Dump the rest into the sheet pan and press evenly into the bottom.<br /> <br /> Directions For the Filling:<br /> Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, mash the sweet potatoes. Stir in the melted butter, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, orange zest, salt and vanilla.  Mix until smooth.  Pour evenly over crust.<br /> <br /> Gently toss the reserved crust mixture with the pecans. Sprinkle over the sweet potato mixture.  Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until set. Cool. Cut into 20 squares.</p> Chef's Notes: <p> Editor's Note:<br /> The bars took 45 minutes to firm up in my oven--bake until a toothpick comes clean. The crust is extra-yummy!</p>