Recipe: Bourbon Mashed Sweet Potatoes

adapted from a recipe by Emeril Lagasse via Martha Stewart

3 lbs sweet potatoes
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup bourbon
3 Tbsps light brown sugar
2 Tbsps molasses
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup toasted chopped pecans or walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Place potatoes on baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper. Bake until very tender, about an hour and 15 minutes. Let stand until cool enough to handle.
3. Cut open the potatoes and scoop the flesh out from the skin; discard skins. Heat the heavy cream in a large pot over medium-low heat, and add bourbon when the cream is just starting to bubble. Cook, stirring, for a few minutes (you need to cook off the alcohol in the bourbon) and then add the brown sugar, molasses, and salt. Heat together, stirring occasionally, for a few more minutes, and then add the sweet potatoes to the pot. Combine and mash everything together, seasoning with pepper (use white pepper if you have it) to taste, over the same heat. Stir in the pecans.
4. Serve immediately, or transfer to an oven-safe serving dish and warm the potatoes at low heat (250ºF) until serving them.