Fagnol's Praline Pineapple Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

PRALINE TOPPING

• 11/2 cup Light or dark brown sugar (packed into measuring cup)
  
• 11/2 cup Finely chopped pecans (or crushed cornflakes if you are allergic to or prefer no nuts)
  
• 4 tablespoons Unsalted butter (not margarine), melted
  
• 2 teaspoons Cinnamon or more to taste
  

SWEET POTATOES

• 8 tablespoons Unsalted butter, melted (1 stick or 4 oz or 113 grams)
  
• 1 cup Brandy (and/or rum, and/or -hey why not- Grand Marnier)
  
• 8 cups Sweet potatoes, cooked, peeled, sliced and packed into measuring cup * (do not use canned sweet potatoes)
  
• 2 20 oz each cans of pineapple tidbits, drained
  
• 1 teaspoon White pepper
  
• 1 cup Orange juice and/or pineapple juice from the cans of pineapple tidbits
  
• 1 tablespoon Grated orange zest or more to taste
  
• 1 teaspoon Ginger spice
  
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon or more to taste
  
• 1/8 teaspoon Salt or more to taste
  
• 1 teaspoon Allspice or more to taste
  
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
  
• 2 Large eggs, beaten
  
• 1/3 cup All purpose flour, sifted
  
• 2 cups Light or dark brown sugar (originally 1 cup but I prefer a bit more sugar; packed into measuring cup)
  

Directions

1. For the topping, mix the sugar, pecans, butter ( melted) and cinnamon; and set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the beaten eggs, the other 8 tbsp of butter (melted), sugar, orange juice, brandy or rum, and all the spices. Add the sweet potatoes and pineapple.
3. Mix very well trying to break some of the sweet potatoe slices into smaller pieces. Taste and adjust spices and/or "booze" to taste but you may not need to. Stir in the flour.
4. Put in a buttered 15 inch Pyrex baking dish (4.8 quarts) and spread the topping all over the sweet potatoes. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven for an hour or until the top is brown and crispy.
5. *Note: About 6 lbs of sweet potatoes should yield 8 cups. But buy 1-2 more lbs just in case. You want to pack (pressing with your hands) the sliced potatoes into the measuring cup(s).