Candied Yams

Updated Nov. 4, 2020

Candied Yams
Christopher Simpson for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
1¼ hours
Rating
4(424)
Comments
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Sweet enough for dessert but savory enough for a side, candied yams are a quintessential Southern staple for Sunday dinner, get-togethers or holidays. Many supermarkets use the terms “sweet potatoes” and “yams” interchangeably. For this recipe, any orange-fleshed varieties like Jewel or Garnet will do. Whatever you use, this dish will definitely round out anything savory on your plate, on Thanksgiving and beyond.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings
  • 6medium yams (3 to 5 pounds)
  • ½cup salted butter (1 stick)
  • ½cup granulated sugar
  • ½packed cup dark or light brown sugar
  • ¼cup maple syrup
  • 1large orange, zested
  • 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1tablespoon vanilla extract (not imitation)
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

512 calories; 12 grams fat; 7 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 99 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams dietary fiber; 35 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 146 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 400 degrees. Wash and peel the yams, then cut into ½-inch pieces. Transfer the yams to a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

  2. Step 2

    In a medium pot over medium heat, cook the butter until it starts to bubble, about 2 minutes.

  3. Step 3

    Once the butter is melted, add both sugars along with the maple syrup, orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Turn off the heat and remove the pot from burner. Stir to combine, then add the vanilla extract. Pour the sugar-butter mixture over the yams, and toss to coat.

  4. Step 4

    Cover baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, and using a spoon, baste the yams with the sugar-butter mixture collecting at the bottom of the baking dish. Cover again and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until tender. If desired, remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes to thicken the syrup. Remove the yams from the oven and serve hot.

Ratings

4 out of 5
424 user ratings
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Comments

So are we to use the orange sweet potatoes that are called "yams" in parts of the South, or are we to use actual yams, which are a different plant, in this recipe?

If pressed for time, can I do steps 1-3 the night before and refrigerate overnight?

Took one for the team and tested out if you can prep these (make through Step 3) a day in advance then bake. Findings: yes, you can prep these the day before and leave in the fridge over night and bake the next day. Would recommend leaving out for one hour prior to baking (starting at Step 4). Other finding: I used sweet potatoes instead of yams and had trouble cooking the potatoes through. Still turned out ok and had good flavor but definitely impacted the texture. Happy Holidays!

I made this today. I halved both sugars along with the maple syrup and salt. I mixed everything in a large bowl before putting it into my glass baking dish. It turned out delicious. This will be my new go-to recipe.

Gosh, I would have thought a word or two about the name conflation (in the US) and some note about the different shapes and sizes of the two different tubers would have been helpful.

Made this with garnet yams. AMAZING. I took another reader's advice and cut the two sugars and the maple syrup in half. But the orange zest is what really makes it fragrant. I added toasted pecans as a topping, but you could easily enjoy it even without them.

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