- 3 pounds dark orange sweet potatoes
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, plus butter for the baking dish
- Salt
- 1 cup heavy (whipping) cream
- 1 tablespoon bourbon
- Freshly grated nutmeg
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Roast the potatoes on a baking sheet in the oven until they are easily pierced with a knife, about 45 minutes. Remove them from the oven and let cool. (The potatoes can be roasted up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated.) Leave the oven on.
- Butter a gratin dish or baking dish.
- Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the slices in a single layer, overlapping them. Season to taste with salt.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, reduce the cream by one-third. Add the bourbon and whisk well.
- Pour the cream over the potatoes. Dust the potatoes very lightly with nutmeg and dot with the butter. Bake until browned and puffy, about 30 minutes. Serve hot.