Best Baked Yams With Spicy Molasses Butter Recipes

Roasted Orange Molasses Sweet Potatoes image

Yield Makes 10 servings

Number Of Ingredients 7

Unsalted butter for buttering pan
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange zest
1 1/4 cups fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons molasses (not robust or blackstrap)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 large sweet potatoes (2 3/4 pounds), peeled and cut lengthwise into 1-inch-wide wedges

Steps:

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F. Generously butter a large (13- by 9- by 2-inch) shallow baking pan.
Heat zest, juice, molasses, salt, and pepper in a small saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until molasses is dissolved.
Toss potatoes with molasses mixture in baking pan and arrange, cut sides down, in 1 layer. Bake, uncovered, turning over once (to other cut side), until tender and glazed, 25 to 30 minutes.

Yams with Spiced Sorghum Butter image

Yield Makes 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
9 tablespoonssorghum syrup* or 1/2 cup clover honey plus 1 tablespoon robust-flavored (dark) molasses
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Large pinch of cayenne pepper
8 10- to 11-ounce yams (red-skinned sweet potatoes)

Steps:

Beat butter, sorghum syrup, cinnamon, cloves and cayenne in medium bowl to blend; season with salt. (Can be prepared 5 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring mixture to room temperature before using.)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Rinse potatoes; pat dry. Pierce each several times with fork; place on baking sheet. Bake potatoes until tender, about 1 hour.
Cut top of each potato lengthwise; press in ends to open top. Spoon some sorghum butter into opening of each potato and serve.
*Sorghum syrup (a juice extracted from cereal grass) is available at some natural foods stores or by mail order; call Brownville Mills at 800-305-7990

Whole Baked Yams with Spicy Molasses Butter image

Yield Serves 6

Number Of Ingredients 8

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 tablespoons mild-flavored (light) molasses
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 9- to 10-ounce yams (red-skinned sweet potatoes)

Steps:

Using electric mixer, beat first 7 ingredients in medium bowl until fluffy. (Can be prepared 1 week ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before using.)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line large baking sheet with heavy-duty foil. Using small, sharp knife, make one 1/2-inch-deep lengthwise slit in each yam, leaving 1 inch of yam uncut at each end. Place yams on baking sheet. Bake yams until tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
Cut slits across center of each yam. Press ends toward center to expose flesh. Transfer yams to platter. Spoon 1 tablespoon spiced butter into each. Pass remaining spiced butter separately.