Preparation

Sweet potato casserole with marshmallows is peak Southern holiday chaos—too sweet, too much, too divisive. But what if we separated its best qualities and rebuilt it as baklava? The sweet potatoes become filling, the pecans stay crunchy, and the marshmallow sweetness transforms into a delicate orange blossom syrup.

Preparation

1. Remove any marshmallow topping from the casserole and set aside (eat as a snack—we're not using it).
2. Mash the sweet potato base until smooth. If there are pecans mixed in, that's perfect.
3. Make the syrup: combine sugar, water, honey, orange blossom water, vanilla, and cinnamon stick in a pot. Boil for 10 minutes until slightly thickened. Cool completely.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.
5. Layer 8 sheets of phyllo, brushing each with butter.
6. Spread half the sweet potato mixture, then sprinkle with half the pecans.
7. Layer 8 more phyllo sheets with butter.
8. Add remaining sweet potato and pecans.
9. Top with final 8 sheets of phyllo, buttering each one.
10. Cut into diamond shapes before baking.
11. Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden and crispy.
12. Immediately pour the cooled syrup over the hot baklava.
13. Let sit for at least 4 hours before serving.

The revelation: What was too sweet becomes perfectly balanced. The orange blossom water adds sophistication, the pecans provide crunch without being buried in marshmallow, and the sweet potatoes create a creamy layer that phyllo was meant for. This is what sweet potato casserole wanted to be when it grew up.