Sweet Potato Gratin from Wilderness Lodge

Wilderness Lodge's Sweet Potato and Hazelnut Gratin has a crisp-crunchy topping made with bread crumbs, chopped hazelnuts and brown sugar.

Gratins are baked dishes that are topped with cheese or a bread-crumb mixture, then heated until brown and crispy. In cookbooks, you will find recipes for au gratins or gratinees. These terms refer to foods prepared in such a manner. Today’s recipe for Wilderness Lodge’s Sweet Potato and Hazelnut Gratin is from the 2004 Disney files. Kitchen stores sell shallow round or oval gratin pans. The shape and depth of these pieces increase a prepared food’s surface to create a crispy layer when the toppings are broiled. But any shallow baking dish will work just fine.

WILDERNESS LODGE’S SWEET POTATO HAZELNUT GRATIN

Yield: 8-10 servings.

4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

3/4 cup maple syrup

5 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 cups whole hazelnuts blanched

4 cups Panko Japanese bread crumbs

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon salt

1. Using a knife or the cutting-disk attachment of your food processor, slice peeled sweet potatoes into 1/4-inch thick slices and place in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.

2. In a small pot, combine whipping cream, maple syrup and butter, and warm on low heat until butter melts. Take the pan off the heat and reserve.

3. Place the hazelnuts on a cookie sheet and insert them into a oven heated to 375 F and roast until they turn golden brown in color. Remove and let cool then chop with a knife or food processor to a slightly rough consistency, not to fine. Next place the bread crumbs, chopped hazelnuts and the brown sugar into a bowl and mix together. This will be the topping of the gratin.

4. Take the bowl with the potato slices and season them with salt. Next add 2/3 of the cream mixture and 2 cups of the topping, and toss together coating the potatoes.

5. Next spray a 9-by-12 inch baking dish with your favorite pan spray and place the potato mixture in the dish. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula to get all the bits. Then press the potatoes into the pan with your hands to compact and level the slices.

6. Pour the remaining cream mixture over potatoes then cover with baking paper and foil and place into a 375 F oven for 45-55 minutes. When you remove the dish, the sweet potatoes should be just cooked. Add the remaining topping in an even layer and place dish back into oven.

7. Reduce heat to 350 F and bake until crust turns a golden brown, approximately 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.