Foster Family’s Candied Sweet Potatoes

Name: Foster Family’s Candied Sweet Potatoes
Yield: serves 4 to 6
Ingredients: 3 medium sweet potatoes (about 2 pounds); 1 cup water; 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar; 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter; Juice of 1 orange; 1 cinnamon stick; Pinch of sea salt

December 14, 2011

This recipe is a Foster family standard, a permanent fixture at holidays and other large family gatherings. Along with most other Southerners, I’ve been a huge fan of sweet potatoes for as long as I can remember, but in my case I think this sticky-sweet preparation may be the root of my obsession. When I make it today, I add fresh orange juice and zest to brighten the flavors and cut the sweetness just a hair, yielding what I think of as a grown-up version of this childhood favorite.

Recipe notes

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