Skillet Smoked Cream Cheese & Candied Yam Dip ft. Smokin Sweetness

Trends. Right now, the smoked cream cheese trend has hit a fever pitch. We have made it several times for family gatherings and it has always been a hit. My family growing up, never really adhered to a "trend" other than sherbet and Sprite. The matriarchs set food trends for our family lineage.

My mom, grandmothers, sister and aunts are the best dessert chefs I have ever met. I have met word renowned pastry chefs and award-winning competition chefs, but these ladies could really throw down! One of the most anticipated dishes of any family gathering was the "Sweet Potato Pie." Whether grandmama, mama or Nanny Bob made it, you knew it was gonna be delicious with a flaky crust, deep brownish-orange color and a sweet, earthy, jammy and spiced flavor that we would remember and hold us over until the next holiday.

We have learned from their keen eye for color and texture along with non-specific ingredient measuring techniques how to make the perfect sweet potato pie. We love to use fresh yams/sweet potatoes, but if you're in a time pinch, this is an option using canned yams. This recipe, however, is a Smokin' Sweetness-infused mashup of an evolved sweet potato pie filling, candied yams and that on-going smoked cream cheese trend to set a new trend that we hope will be a prized appetizer slash dessert dip for your fam for years to come. Who knows, maybe you'll set a trend for your family someday!

We present to you the Skillet Smoked Cream Cheese & Sweet Potato Pie Dip ft. Smokin Sweetness.

Thank you to the ladies that set the stage for our flavor journey: Alice, Rovena, Mary, Aunt Barbara, Aunt Bernice, Aunt Stella, Aunt Nanny, Aunt Medaline, Aunt Terri, Aunt Lilly-Mae and Jasmine at Sweet November Desserts.

This recipe makes 2x dips.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 Cup + 1 Tablespoon Hook's Rub Smokin Sweetness Rub
1x 29 oz can Yams/Sweet Potato in syrup (drained) 
2x 8 OZ Cream Cheese 
2x Eggs
1/2 Cup Sweetened Condensed Milk 
1 Cup Heavy Cream
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar 
1 TBSP Cocoa Powder
1 TBSP Cinnamon
1 TSP Mace or Nutmeg (either is permissable)
1/2 TSP Kosher Salt
4 TBSP Melted Unsalted Butter (halved)
1-2 Cups Mini Marshmallows
Graham Crackers for dipping

TOOLS:

Smoker Set to 350 Degrees F (for pellet smokers like a Recteq) or charcoal grill with an indirect heat set up
Mixing Bowls
Cutting Board
Sharp Knives
Cast Iron Skillet
Silicon Spatulas (like these from Thermoworks)
Trivet or Pot Holder (Also like these from Thermoworks)
Nitrile Gloves
Hand Mixer
Measuring Spoons
Measuring Cups
Aluminum Foil or Plastic Wrap (optional)

METHOD:
Note: Make sure to used your spatula to clean the edges back into the bowl after each use of the hand mixer throughout this recipe.

1. Set your smoker to 350 degrees F.
2. In a mixing bowl, pour in a drained can of yams and using a hand mixer, blend until smooth. 
   PRO TIP: Stop every once and a while to remove as many strings as possible. These potatoes have fibrous strings throughout that would not be as tasty in the finished product. Perform this step 4-5 times or until you are satisfied with the amount of strings that have been removed.
3. Crack the eggs into the sweet potato mixture and mix.
4. Pour the sweetened condensed milk and heavy cream into the sweet potato mixture and mix again.
5. Add the vanilla extract, granulated sugar, brown sugar & cocoa powder then mix.
6. Add 1 TBSP Smokin' Sweetness, the cinnamon, mace or nutmeg, Kosher salt and 2 TBSP melted unsalted butter then mix again making sure to clean the mixture off the bowl walls and back into the bowl.
7. Make sure the mixture is well incorporated.
8. Take a cast iron skillet and use the other 2 TBSP of butter to coat the sides and bottom of the pan then set aside.
9. Grab your block of cream cheese and coat all sides in Smokin' Sweetness. (you can criss-cross cut the top of the cream cheese to make a cool design if you choose to, but it's not a requirement)
10. Set the seasoned cream cheese in the middle of the skillet and pour about half of the sweet potato mixture into the skillet making sure to not cover the cream cheese.
    PRO TIP: You can use the remaining sweet potato mixture for a sweet potato pie or for a second dip.
    
    
11. Set the skillet in the center of your smoker and bake/smoke for 1 hour uncovered.
    
    
    
12. Add 1-2 cups mini marshmallows around the skillet. Try not to cover the cream cheese, but if you like more marshmallow with your yams, then use as much as you'd like.
    
    
13. Return the skillet to the smoker and melt the marshmallows for another 10 minutes.
    
14. Remove the skillet onto a trivet or cutting board and let it sit for 5-10 minutes as the dip will be piping hot!
15. Use graham crackers or crostini's to dip into the candied sweet potato and smoked cream cheese or scoop a dollop onto a plate and enjoy!
    
    

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