Sweet Potato Biscuits

Sweet Potato Biscuits
From Molly Wizenberg’s “Sweet Potato Biscuits with Ham, Mustard, and Honey” (Bon Appetit, December 2009)

Makes: 6-8 biscuits

Ingredients:
1 3/4-pound red-skinned sweet potato (yam), peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon (packed) dark brown sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of cayenne pepper
8 tablespoons (1 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, plus 2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup chilled buttermilk

Preparation:
1. Cook sweet potato in medium saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, cool, and mash. (Updated Note: I’ve since found that baking the potato develops its flavor better than boiling.)
2. Position rack in lower third of oven; preheat to 425°F. Butter bottom and sides of 9-inch cake pan with 1 1/2-inch-high sides.
3. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl. Add cubed butter to flour mixture; toss to coat and rub in with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse meal.
4. Whisk 3/4 cup mashed sweet potatoes and buttermilk in a medium bowl. Add to flour mixture; toss with fork.
5. Gather mixture in bowl, kneading until dough comes together. Turn dough out onto floured work surface and pat into 1-inch-thick round. Using 1 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter, cut out biscuits, flouring cutter after each cut. Gather scraps; pat into 1-inch-thick round. Cut out additional biscuits (do not reuse scraps more than once).
6. Arrange biscuits side by side in prepared cake pan. Brush with melted butter. Bake until puffed and golden on top and tester inserted into center biscuit comes out clean, about 22 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Turn biscuits out and gently pull them apart. Serve immediately.