Mashed Yams with Brown Sugar and Spice

Mashed Yams with Brown Sugar and Spice

Ingredients

  • 6 lbs. yams
  • 1/2 to 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
  • 6 Tbs. butter at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
  • 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract Salt
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325°.
  2. Place the yams on a baking sheet and pierce in several places with a fork.
  3. Bake until very tender when pierced with a fork, about 1 hour.
  4. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.  (Maintain the oven temperature.)
  5. Butter a 2-3 quart baking dish.
  6. Halve the yams and, using a spoon, scrape the flesh from the skins into a large bowl.
  7. Add 3/4th cup (or half, if you halving the sugar) of the brown sugar and the cream or half-and-half, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and vanilla.
  8. Using an electric mixer on medium speed (or potato masher or wooden spoon), beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.
  9. Season to taste with salt.
  10. Spoon into the prepared baking dish, smoothing on the top.
  11. Sprinkle the pecans and the remaining sugar evenly over the top.
  12. Bake until heated through, about 30 minutes.
  13. Serve hot directly from the dish.
  • Prep Time 15 min
  • Cook Time 20 min
  • Ready Time 35 min