Candied Sweet Potatoes

OFTEN MADE WITH A HEAVY, CLOYING, CANNED commercial syrup and covered with sickening melted marshmallows, candied sweet potatoes have earned a bad reputation throughout the South. Today, however, cooks are learning to respect the dish more, and when candied sweet potatoes are prepared properly, there’s no more luscious addition to the holiday table—or, for that matter, to any formal or informal buffet. I knew one lady in Chattanooga, Tennessee, who always sprinkled a big handful of crushed pecans over her potatoes before baking them, an idea I still borrow when I want to highlight the rich dish.

MAKES: 4 to 6 servings

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, cut into pieces
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Place the sweet potatoes in a large saucepan and add enough water to cover them.
3. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan, and simmer the sweet potatoes until they are barely tender, which usually takes about 20 minutes.
4. Drain the water from the saucepan and allow the sweet potatoes to cool enough to handle.
5. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut them into 1/2-inch rounds.
6. Arrange the sweet potato slices overlapping in a shallow 1 1/2-quart buttered baking dish.
7. In a saucepan, combine 3/4 cup of the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, water, and butter.
8. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring, and cook for about 5 minutes until the sugar has dissolved and the syrup is well blended.
9. Add the vanilla extract to the syrup and stir until it is fully incorporated.
10. Pour the syrup evenly over the sweet potatoes in the baking dish.
11. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of brown sugar over the top of the sweet potatoes.
12. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.
13. Bake the sweet potatoes in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes.
14. Remove the aluminum foil and continue baking for about 10 minutes until the sweet potatoes are tender and nicely glazed. Baste the sweet potatoes with the syrup once during this time.
15. Serve the sweet potatoes hot, directly from the baking dish.