Candied Yams

Instructions

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1. 1 Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wash, peel, and cut the sweet potatoes into ½ inch thick rounds. Place the sweet potatoes into a greased 3 quart casserole dish or a 9x13-inch baking dish.
2. 2 Add the butter to a small light-colored pot. Heat the pot over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the butter solids turn golden brown and develop a nutty aroma (it will first become foamy, then the solids will sink to the bottom and turn brown).
3. 3 As soon as the butter turns golden brown add the brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Stir together until smooth.
4. 4 Remove the pot from the heat and add the vanilla extract and 2 Tbsp fresh squeezed orange juice. Stir until combined.
5. 5 Pour the sugar glaze over the sweet potatoes in the baking dish. There is no need to stir the potatoes at this point. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
6. 6 After 30 minutes remove the foil and gently stir the sweet potatoes to redistribute the glaze. Move some of the potatoes that are at the bottom to the top. Bake for another 30 minutes uncovered or until the sweet potatoes are fork tender.
7. 7 This step is optional, but recommended. With a slotted spoon, transfer the candied yams to a separate serving dish. Add the remaining sugar glaze to a small pot over medium heat. Bring the pot to a simmer for about 5 minutes or until the glaze has reduced and thickened.
8. 8 Pour the thick glaze back over the sweet potatoes and serve.