Take a lesson from Southern hospitality by serving this warmly spiced Sweet Potato Pie at your next gathering. Pile it with glossy meringue for dramatic height.

Sweet Potato Pie with Maple Meringue

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. For pie, roll pastry dough disk, from center to edge, on a lightly floured piece of parchment into a 13-inch round. Gently roll the pastry around the rolling pin; carefully unroll to place it on a 9-inch pie plate. Ease pastry into pie plate without stretching. Trim pastry 1/2-inch beyond the edge of the pie plate; fold under pastry even with pie plate edge. Crimp edge by pinching edge of dough at an angle between your thumb and index finger to create a rope-like edge. Lightly cover with plastic wrap; freeze for 15 minutes.

For filling, heat butter in a small saucepan over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until butter is light amber-brown in color, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cool slightly.

Whisk eggs in large bowl. Add sweet potato purée, milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, vanilla, allspice and browned butter; gently whisk just until combined.

Place pastry-lined pie plate in a large rimmed baking pan; pour in filling. Bake for 70 to 80 minutes or until a knife inserted into center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

To serve, let pie stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, for meringue, combine water, 1/4 cup ultrafine sugar, meringue powder, cream of tartar and maple extract in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium for 5 minutes or until soft peaks form (tips curl). Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high until stiff peaks form (tips stand straight).

Spread meringue on top of pie; use the back of a spoon to smooth and form peaks. Using a kitchen torch, toast meringue until golden.