Sweet Potato Casserole

Another contribution to Thanksgiving dinner this year. SO much better than the marshmallow-covered version :)

Sweet Potato Casserole
Sweet Potatoes
7 LBS (6–8 medium) sweet potatoes {or yams, depending on what you call them!}
Streusel
5 TB unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces and softened,
plus more for greasing pan
½ cup (2½ oz) all–purpose flour
½ cup (3½ oz) packed dark brown sugar
¼ tsp table salt
1 cup (4 oz) pecans
Filling
5 TB unsalted butter, melted
2 tsp table salt
½ tsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 TB vanilla extract
4 tsp juice from 1 lemon
Granulated sugar
4 large egg yolks
1½ cups half–and–half

Sweet Potatoes
•Adjust oven rack to lower–middle position and heat
oven to 400°
•Poke sweet potatoes several times with paring
knife and space evenly on rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil
•Bake potatoes, turning them once, until they’re very tender and can be squeezed easily with tongs, 1 to 1½ hours (or 45 min for small ones)
•Remove potatoes from oven and cut in half lengthwise to let steam escape
•Cool at least 10 minutes
•Reduce oven temperature to 375°
Streusel
•While potatoes are baking, butter 13 x 9–inch baking dish
•Pulse flour, brown sugar and salt in food processor until blended, abt four 1–second pulses
•Sprinkle butter pieces over flour mixture and pulse until crumbly mass forms, six to eight 1–second pulses
•Sprinkle nuts over mixture and pulse until combined but some large nut pieces remain, four to six 1–second pulses
•Transfer streusel to medium bowl and return empty workbowl to processor
•Once potatoes have cooled slightly, use spoon to scoop flesh into large bowl; you should have about 8 cups
•Transfer half of potato flesh to food processor
•Using rubber spatula, break remaining potato flesh in bowl into coarse 1–inch chunks
Filling
•Add melted butter, salt, nutmeg, pepper, vanilla and lemon juice to potatoes in food processor and process until smooth, about 20 seconds
•Taste for sweetness, then add up to 4 TB granulated sugar, if necessary
•Add yolks
•With processor running, pour half–and–half through feed tube and process until blended, about 20 seconds
•Transfer to bowl with potato pieces and stir gently until combined
Assembling
•Pour filling into prepared baking dish and spread into even layer with spatula
•Sprinkle with streusel, breaking up any large pieces with fingers
•Bake until topping is well browned and filling is slightly puffy around edges, 40 to 45 min
•Cool at least 10 minutes before serving