Baked Candied Yams

Ingredients

• 2 pounds sweet potato, (cut into 1/2-inch thick pieces, see notes)
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar, (packed)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 5 tablespoons salted butter
• 1 1/2 tablepsoons maple syrup
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, (Diamond Crystal)
• 4 whole cloves
• small pinch ground ginger
• 1 3/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, (I use Nielson Massey)

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. 2

   In a small saucepan over medium low heat melt butter then add brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, maple syrup, salt, and ginger. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes together. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.

3. 3

   Place sweet potatoes in a prepared 8x11 baking dish (it's okay if some sweet potatoes overlap). Pour the butter and sugar mixture over the sweet potatoes, using a spatula to spread the mixture over the yams.

4. 4

   Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes. At the 45-minute mark, check for doneness. If tender, proceed below, if not, continue to bake until tender in 5 minute increments.Remove foil and baste the sweet potatoes with the sweet buttery mixture from the baking dish then bake for an additional 5 minutes, until deeply orange and tender when pierced with a fork. Sweet potatoes should be tender and not falling apart. Serve and enjoy. Sauce will thicken as it cools.