Cranberry-Topped Maple Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

• 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled
• 1 cup Grade A maple syrup
• 1 ½ cups fresh cranberries
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, or to taste
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 8 sprigs fresh thyme

Step 1

Warm your oven to 400°F (200°C). While it’s warming up, put the whole sweet potatoes in a big pot, cover them with salted water, and bring it to a boil. Turn the heat down to a gentle simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, which usually takes about 20 to 30 minutes. Once they’re soft, drain the water and let the potatoes cool a bit.

Step 2

While the sweet potatoes are cooling, pour the maple syrup and brown sugar into a small saucepan and bring it to a boil. Let it simmer until it thickens and reduces by about half. Toss in the cranberries and keep cooking until they start to pop open. Stir in the butter and some dried thyme, then take the pan off the heat.

Step 3

Slice the cooled sweet potatoes into rounds about an inch thick. Arrange them standing up, leaning against each other like fallen dominoes, in an 8x12-inch baking dish. Give the syrup mixture a quick stir, then pour it over the potatoes, trying to spread the cranberries evenly on top.

Step 4

Pop the dish in the oven and bake for around 40 minutes, until the cranberries start to caramelize and get a bit bubbly. When it’s done, take it out and let it rest for about 5 minutes. If you like, garnish each serving with a fresh sprig of thyme before digging in.