This elevated sweet potato casserole with freshly-made Fernet Blanca-flavored marshmallow creme comes to us from Chef Nicholas Jones of Farmstead at Longmeadow Ranch in St. Helena. It’s a delicious take on a holiday classic!

Ingredients for Sweet Potatoes
4 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (or yams), peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
5 Tbsp Round Pond Italian Varietal Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground clove
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
1 cup Steen’s Southern Cane Syrup

Ingredients for Fernet Marshmallows
110 grams egg whites (with a pinch of cream of tartar)
800 grams sugar
180 grams water
30 grams gelatin
57 grams Fernet Branca (Italian Bitters)

For the Potatoes
Preheat oven to 375F.  Toss sweet potatoes in olive oil, spices, salt, and black pepper. Arrange potatoes in 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish or casserole dish of your choice and bake until tender. Remove dish from oven and coat roasted potatoes with Steen’s Southern cane syrup. Return to oven and bake until sticky, about 15 additional minutes.

For the Fernet Marshmallows
Bring sugar and water to 245 degrees in a saucepan over medium heat. Bloom gelatin according to directions. Whip egg whites (with a pinch of cream of tartar) to stiff peak in mixer.

Drizzle in hot sugar syrup to egg whites to temper, and then add the rest of the sugar syrup, add Fernet and gelatin. Fold in softly. Spread marshmallow mixture on the top of potatoes and place under broiler to give your marshmallows a s’mores-like look.*

Enjoy!

*You may substitute with pre-made marshmallows of your choice