If candied yams with brown sugar are too sweet for your tooth, this take on “candied” with apple syrup and tart cherries might be just the ticket for your next festive table. It’s all homegrown Michigan, with a bit of pecans and coconut for a special touch.
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh apple cider
- ⅓ cup dried tart cherries
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 5 cups large-diced sweet potatoes
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup chopped pecans
- ⅓ cup flaked coconut
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Preparation
Preheat oven to 400°F.
To make the apple syrup, put fresh cider in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add cherries and simmer 5–10 minutes to soften them, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Keep simmering apple cider until it is reduced to a syrup, about ⅓–½ cup.
While syrup is simmering, place coconut oil in a large mixing bowl and set in preheating oven for just a few minutes to melt. Scrub sweet potatoes and peel away skin that is discolored or dirty. Dice into bite-size pieces, add to bowl with the oil and salt; mix until thoroughly coated.
Spread onto a 9- by 13-inch baking sheet and set bowl aside. Roast for 15 minutes, turning and stirring after about 10 minutes. Check for doneness and continue roasting for a few minutes if needed.
While the sweet potatoes are roasting, warm a small sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add pecans and salt, stirring and tossing while they toast. When nuts start getting fragrant, add coconut and continue toasting. As coconut starts browning, remove from heat.
Return roasted sweet potatoes to original mixing bowl. Add reserved cherries, half the pecan-coconut mixture and all the apple syrup. Stir very gently to mix while keeping potatoes intact. Place into serving dish and sprinkle with remaining pecan mixture.
