I feel like this is everyone's favorite dish at Thanksgiving. Yeah, the turkey is the centerpiece, and stuffing is pretty awesome, but let's be real. Yams. Sweet potatoes. They're a vegetable that kind of tastes like dessert, but somehow manages to stay savory. Like a chocolate covered pretzels or something. Mmmm...chocolate covered pretzels.
Yams are officially my cousin Erica's domain. Every year she plans something wonderful, and this year is no different. Inspired by a side we had at a family dinner a few weeks back, she's making vanilla scented yams with marshmallow on top. I asked her to send me the recipe so I could write a post about them before Thanksgiving (and get a sneak peek at the goods) and was floored by how simple it was. You literally boil yams, puree in your ingredients, and toast some marshmallow. Boom. Done. Thanksgiving.
I was making a small batch anyway and when the versatility of the recipe dawned on me, I went a little crazy. Apple Cinnamon Maple Yams and Classic Candied Yams with pumpkin pie spices and a crunchy pecan brown sugar crumble. Each has their own little twist, and they will all hit that candied yam sweet spot.
I also got a little fancy and added a recipe for homemade maple marshmallow that is delicious in hot chocolate and on top of the yams. But if it's too much of a bother, feel free to use store bought marshmallows. Happy Thanksgiving!
Erica's Vanilla-Scented Yams with Marshmallow
1.5 vanilla beans
8-9 medium sized yams, peeled and quartered
1 lb or 4 sticks of butter
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons fresh minced Rosemary or Thyme
Scrape the vanilla beans and reserve the shell and the seeds. Add the shells and the yams in a large pot, cover with cool water and bring to a boil. Boil for about 10 minutes, or until the yams are fork tender. Puree in a food processor with the butter and scraped vanilla, salt, pepper, and herbs. Spoon into a baking dish and dollop on the marshmallow. Broil for about 1 minute or until the marshmallows are toasted. Keep an eye on it! They burn quickly!
Maple Marshmallow
About 1 cup confectioners' sugar
3 ½ envelopes (2 tablespoons plus 2 1/2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup room temperature water
2 cups granulated sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
½ cup hot water (about 115 degrees)
¼ teaspoon salt
2 large egg whites
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup maple syrup
In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, pour in the ½ cup of water and sprinkle with the gelatin. Let it stand for about 10 minutes.
In a 3-quart heavy saucepan cook granulated sugar, corn syrup, hot water, and salt over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to moderate and boil mixture, without stirring, until a candy or digital thermometer registers 240 degrees, about 12 minutes. A word to the wise, this happens very very quickly. While I turned around to tidy up, the entire batch jumped to 275 and burned, so once the thermometer reads 200, keep a close watch, and take it off the heat when it reaches 230. The thermometer should still creep up to 240 after that. Remove the pan from heat and pour sugar mixture over gelatin mixture, stirring until gelatin is dissolved.
With the standing mixer beat the mixture on high speed until white, thick and nearly tripled in volume, about 6 minutes if using standing mixer. In a large bowl separately beat the egg whites until they just hold stiff peaks. Beat whites and vanilla and maple syrup into sugar mixture until it is just combined (about 2 minutes). Dollop onto the yams before they set.
If you want to save the marshmallow for later...
Pour the mixture into a greased baking pan covered with powdered sugar and sift ¼ cup powdered sugar evenly over top. Let the marshmallow set uncovered, until firm, at least three hours, and up to 1 day.
Apple Maple Cinnamon Yams with Maple Marshmallow
8-9 medium sized yams, peeled and quartered
1 lb or 4 sticks of butter
Salt and pepper
1 cup apple sauce
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 cups Fresh maple marshmallow (see above) or mini jet puffed marshmallows.
Put the yams in a large pot, cover with cool water and bring to a boil. Boil for about 10 minutes, or until the yams are fork tender. Puree in a food processor with the butter and cinnamon, syrup, apple sauce, salt, and pepper. Spoon into a baking dish and dollop on the marshmallow. Broil for about 1 minute or until the marshmallows are toasted. Keep an eye on it! They burn quickly!
Classic Candied Yams
8-9 medium sized yams, peeled and quartered
1 lb or 4 sticks of butter
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cardamom
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
2 oz (4 tablespoons) butter, cut into small chunks
Preheat oven to 400F. Put the yams in a large pot, cover with cool water and bring to a boil. Boil for about 10 minutes, or until the yams are fork tender. Puree in a food processor with the butter and spices, salt, and pepper. Spoon into a baking dish, sprinkles with pecans and brown sugar, and dot with butter. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the brown sugar has started to melt.
CANDIED YAMS, THREE WAYS
