Sweet Potato Streusel Squares

Sweet Potato Streusel Squares
from Bon Appetit (July 1995)

Filling
3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 3 large), peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup half and half
2 eggs
1/3 cup chopped crystallized ginger (about 1 1/2 ounces)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
preparation

For Filling:
Butter 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Cook sweet potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 8 minutes. 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).

For toppings:
Rub together sugar, flour and butter in medium bowl until moist crumbs form. Mix in pecans and coconut. (Filling and topping can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and refrigerate.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. 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.

Notes: Made to contribute to Christmas Dinner this year. Very different from some of the other sweet potato dishes I've tried -- sweet, almost more like a dessert than a side dish.