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thick orange sweet potato rounds coated in a glossy brown-sugar syrup in a plain shallow serving dish, with the slices mostly intact
Melissa Hart

Stovetop Candied Yams

The supermarket yams used here are orange sweet potatoes, sliced into thick rounds that hold their shape. A covered simmer cooks them through before the lid comes off to reduce the syrup. Don't stir them like a pot of soup. Shake the pan and turn the slices gently so the finished side has tender rounds under a shiny brown-sugar coating.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 1/2 lbs orange sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/2-inch rounds
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method
 

  1. Arrange sweet potato rounds in a wide heavy skillet with a lid, overlapping slightly if necessary. Add butter, brown sugar, water, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
  2. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then cover and cook for 15 minutes. Shake the pan occasionally rather than stirring hard.
  3. Turn the rounds carefully with a thin spatula, cover again and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until a knife enters easily.
  4. Uncover and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes, spooning syrup over the rounds, until the liquid thickens and coats the potatoes.
  5. Remove from the heat and gently fold in vanilla. Let stand for 5 minutes so the syrup thickens slightly before serving.