Candied Yams

Incredibly fork-tender yams bathed in a glossy fragrant buttery brown sugar glaze with a zesty hint of lemon and orange. And sensational flavors from warm spices - cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger- bring holiday goodness in this amazing side dish. And it doubles as a dessert because of its glistening caramel-like finish.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Southern

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1 5

Servings -10

Calories 198kcal

Author Imma

Ingredients

3-3½ pound or 1360-1587 grams sweet potato or yam

Glaze

½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter
½ cup (100 g) brown sugar
½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
3-4 tablespoon s (45-60 mL) maple syrup
½-1 teaspoon (1-2 g) ground ginger
2 teaspoons (4 g)cinnamon
1 teaspoon (2 g) allspice
½ teaspoon (1 g)nutmeg
2 tablespoons (30 ml) orange juice
1-2 tablespoon (15-30 ml) lemon juice
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
½ cup (65 g) chopped pecans, optional

Instructions

Prepare the Sweet Potatoes (Yams)

Preheat the oven to 350℉/177℃.
Wash, peel, and cut yams or sweet potatoes into about ½ an inch thick, keeping each piece close in size for even cooking.
Place in a 13×9 casserole dish, then spread the yams out in an even layer. Set aside while you prepare the butter sauce.

Make the Candy Glaze

Add butter in a medium skillet or sauce and place over medium heat.
As soon as butter melts, add brown sugar, granulated sugar, maple syrup, ground ginger, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg.
Bring mixture to a boil, frequently stirring with a wooden spoon until sugar is completely dissolved, about 3-4 minutes.
Remove saucepan or skillet from heat and then add orange juice and lemon juice.
Pour the butter mixture over the yams, making sure every inch of the yams is covered with sauce.

Bake the Candied Yams

Tightly cover the dish with aluminum foil paper. Bake in a preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes, then remove foil, stir, and spoon sauce over yams.
Return dish in the oven and continue cooking, uncovered, for an additional 30 minutes or until yams are fork tender and sauce thickens slightly.
Remove, stir in vanilla extract and serve warm, sprinkled with roasted pecans, optional.
Enjoy!

Notes

As much as possible, choose longer and thinner yams (sweet potatoes) to make it easier to cut in the same sizes.
Make sure to cut your yams in uniform chunks so they'll cook evenly.
Make it fancier and festive with marshmallows or streusel toppings.
Add more flavor twist with the addition of cayenne pepper or bourbon to your special sweet sauce.
To make it ahead, coat the sliced uncooked yams with butter sauce and store them covered in the fridge for up to two days. When ready to serve, bake them as directed.
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition