Ingredients

• 4 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 1/4 pounds)
• 1 cup bottled cooked chestnuts or dried chestnuts
• 3/4 cup dried apple slices, cut into 1/3-inch dice
• 3/4 cup unsweetened apple juice
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup mild honey
• 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (preferably Ceylon)
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 4 Medjool dates, pitted and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
• Accompaniment: lightly sweetened whipped cream

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
2. Bake sweet potatoes in a shallow baking pan until very soft, about 1 1/2 hours.
3. Meanwhile, soak dried chestnuts (if using) in boiling-hot water 1 hour, then drain. Coarsely chop chestnuts (cooked or dried).
4. While dried chestnuts soak, bring dried apple and juice to a simmer in a small saucepan, then turn off heat. Let steep, covered, 30 minutes. Drain off and discard apple juice.
5. Cool baked potatoes to warm, then peel and mash with a potato masher. Transfer 2 cups mashed sweet potato to a bowl and reserve any remainder for another use.
6. Increase oven temperature to 375°F.
7. Whisk butter and sugars into warm sweet potato along with honey, nutmeg, cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until smooth. Whisk in eggs, vanilla, cream, and milk, then dates, chestnuts, and apple. Bake in a buttered 1 1/2- to 2-quart baking dish (1 1/2 to 2 inches deep) until just set, 40 to 50 minutes (center will continue to set as it cools).
8. Cool to warm on a rack, about 20 minutes.