Our Holiday Yams

Malzemeler

For the yams:

4 yams (or one per person), preferably of similar size and shape, which will help them to cook in about the same time.

Aluminum foil

For the toppings (all optional):

Butter (I love the kerry gold or other European high quality butters for this!)

Brown sugar

Cinnamon

Mexican Vanilla or Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla

Pecans, crushed

Finely diced herbs of choice

Marshmallows

100% Pure Maple Syrup

Yöntemler

Wash and scrub yams; pat dry.

Poke yams with a fork several times (to allow steam to escape so they can’t explode in the oven)

Wrap in foil and put into a covered baking dish.

Bake @350 deg. F until nice and fluffy soft; one hour min for small ones, up to 90 mins or more for the larger ones. If they start to carmelize, that’s an indication they may be done — do a doneness check with your knife to be sure. If it is super soft and comes out clean, it’s ready! (If it’s a bit harder/more resistant still, let it cook a bit longer.)

When you pull them out of the oven, uncover them and make a slit lengthwise through the foil with a sharp knife; be sure not to leave foil slivers in your potato!

Add any of the optional toppings you choose, in this order: butter, brown sugar, vanilla, nuts, herbs, syrup, marshmallows.

If you chose to add marshmallows (‘candied’ yams) then place back in the oven on broil until the marshmallow begins to melt. Remove and sprinkle with cinnamon!

Notlar

This was one of my favorites growing up! I used to love when my grandma Sylvia would make candied yams for me. Hers were peeled though, swimming in brown sugar and butter, and a dash of maple syrup with the marshmallows melted on top. If you cannot find yams, or simply prefer an alternative, you could substitute (yellow) sweet potatoes. I’m not sure how compatible they would be with all of the toppings though! You could be like your mom and just have the yam plain! It’s fluffy and so delicious that way, better than any toppings!