Ingredients (~8 servings)
- 4 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch slices
- 1 cup butter
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 Tbsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 3/4 tsp ginger
- 3/4 tsp allspice
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 1/2 Tbsp water
- 2 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp maple extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
Creating Syrup Base
Melt a stick of butter in a large pot over medium low heat until fully melted.
After melting the butter, mix together both brown sugars and all spices: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice.
Whisk together until combined.
Add lemon juice, water, vanilla extract, maple extract, and salt.
Continue cooking on the stove for approximately three to four minutes stirring occasionally until syrupy and all sugar has dissolved.
(You will know when it is ready when the syrup bubbles gently and coats the back of the spoon.)
Add Sweet Potatoes & Simmer
Add sliced sweet potatoes to the pot and carefully mix around in syrup to coat every slice with syrup.
The pot is now pretty full so please take your time mixing to avoid breaking the sweet potato slices.
Cover with a lid; leave the lid slightly ajar so the lid has space for some steam vaporization to float out and thus prevent any burning.
Cook without disturbance for twenty minutes.
Finish Cooking Uncovered
Remove the lid and continue cooking uncovered for about fifteen to twenty additional minutes.
Your sweet potato slices should be fork-tender when finished and coated with thick syrup.
If the syrup seems too thin, you can cook for another few minutes; however, if the syrup is getting too thick (usually from evaporation), add about a tablespoon of water.
You want the fork sliding through the sweet potato slices and syrup clinging to every slice.
Let Rest Before Serving
Let your sweet potato slices rest in the syrup for at least twenty minutes before serving.
Resting enables the syrup to become even thicker and allows time for sweet potatoes to absorb more flavour.
For serving, spoon out at least one generous spoonful of syrup (the bottom of the pot) onto each sweet potato before serving.
Stovetop Candied Yams
Ingredients
Ingredients (~8 servings)
- 4 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch slices
- 1 cup butter
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 Tbsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 3/4 tsp ginger
- 3/4 tsp allspice
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 1/2 Tbsp water
- 2 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 tsp maple extract
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large pot over medium-low heat.
- Add both sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice; whisk until combined.
- Add lemon juice, water, vanilla extract, maple extract, and salt.
- Cook 3-4 minutes, whisking occasionally, until syrupy and sugar dissolves.
- Add sweet potato slices and stir gently to coat with syrup.
- Cover pot with lid slightly ajar and cook 20 minutes undisturbed.
- Remove lid and cook 15-20 minutes more until fork-tender and syrup thickens.
- Let sit 20 minutes before serving to allow syrup to thicken and flavors to absorb.
