Candied Sweet Potatoes or Yams
A Thanksgiving classic. This recipe for Candied Sweet Potatoes offers options for sweeteners and includes time saving microwave cooking methods.
Servings: 10
Ingredients
- 4-5 sweet potatoes or yams (about 4-5 lbs.)salt, to taste3/4 cup brown sugar1/4 cup butter1/4 cup pure maple syrup or corn syrup or Lyle's Golden Syrup1 (16 ounce) bag miniature marshmallows
- 4-5 pounds sweet potatoes or yams
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup butter
- salt, to taste
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup can also use corn syrup or Lyle's Golden Syrup
- 16 ounce bag miniature marshmallows
Instructions
For the Sweet Potatoes
- Peel potatoes/yams. Cut into ½- to ¾- inch thick slices. Parboil* (see notes) until the sweet potatoes just start to soften; the middle should still be a little firm, but not hard. Put into a buttered 9- x 13-inch baking dish, sprinkle with salt to taste. As a note I cooked these last night for about ten minutes in the microwave and they were perfect. I simply put the raw sliced potatoes into a 9 x 13 glass baking dish, added a small amount of water, covered the dish with plastic wrap, and cooked on high for 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes after cooking, before you add the syrup.
For the Syrup
- In a small saucepot, add the brown sugar, butter, and pure maple syrup (or corn syrup or Lyle's Golden Syrup if using). Cook and stir over medium heat until the brown sugar has melted and bubbles appear around the edges of syrup. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for one minute.
- Pour the “syrup” over the potatoes. It will be a little thick, but as it cooks the liquid from the potatoes will make a thinner syrup.
Putting it all Together
- Bake, covered with aluminum foil, in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and check the potatoes; they should be soft when pierced with a fork. If the syrup looks a little runny, allow the potatoes to bake uncovered for about 15 minutes, then remove from oven.
- Pour the marshmallows evenly over the top. Turn oven to broil, place the marshmallow topped dish a few inches away from the broiler and broil until marshmallows are golden brown. Watch carefully because the marshmallows can easily burn.
Notes
The candied sweet potatoes (without the marshmallows) can be cooked the day before, warmed in the microwave, and then the marshmallows can be added just prior to serving. It saves a lot of stress on Thanksgiving day and frees the oven for other uses.*See this link for instructions on parboiling: http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-parboiling.htm