Bryant Terry outdid himself when he created this recipe for Candied Sweet Potatoes and Apples in his book Vegan Soul Kitchen (affiliate link). The juices in this recipe really make a flavorful syrup that’s much better than the traditional sugar based syrup. The last time I made this, I definitely made more of the syrup. The recipe below reflects those changes. I have also decreased the roasting time for the potatoes just a bit.
Candied Sweet Potatoes and Apples
Adapted
Yield: 4 Servings
3 large sweet potatoes (about 2.5 pounds total), peeled and cut into 1/2 inch rounds
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 Golden Delicious apples, cored, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch widthwise slices (or whatever apples you prefer)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoon agave nectar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup cold apple juice
1 teaspoon coarse sea salt
Preheat oven to 425.
In a large bowl, toss the sweet potatoes with 1 tablespoon of the evoo.
Spread the sweet potatoes on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 10 minutes.
Remove the sweet potatoes from the oven and reduce the heat to 375.
In a 2-quart baking dish, add a layer of sweet potatoes to the bottom, layer half of the apple slices on top of the first layer, layer the remaining sweet potatoes on top of the apples and layer the remaining apples on top.
In a medium-size bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the apple juice with the cinnamon and nutmeg and mix well until the spices are evenly distributed.
Add the agave nectar, vanilla extract, lemon juice, orange juice and salt and mix well to combine.
Pour over the apples and potatoes.
Cover and bake 40 minutes.
