Sweet Potatoes with Maple Sugar Streusel

This is one of my favorite dishes i cook on Thanksgiving. I usually order the maple sugar by mail and make sure i have it way ahead of time, since most the flavors comes from the maple sugar streusel.
It's very simple and elegant and different.
Recipe courtesy of Bon Appétit Magazine

Maple Sugar

Ingredients:

Yams:
3 1/2 pounds of yams/sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into thick slices(save ends of potatoes for streusel)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper

Streusel:
1/2 cup shredded sweet potato( from the ends of potatoes)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup maple sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375F.
Butter a 13x9 baking dish. Arrange yams rounds in 4 overlapping lengthwise rows in prepared dish.
In a small saucepan, bring water, maple syrup, butter and cider vinegar to boil. Stir in salt and pepper. Pour hot liquid over yams. Cover dish tightly with foil.
Bake yams for about 40 minutes, until almost tender.
While baking, mix together maple sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and flour. Add melted butter and rub with your hands until clumpy. Mix in shredded sweet potatoes.
Remove yams from oven and sprinkle streusel topping over it. Increase temperature to 400F. Bake uncovered for another 35 minutes, until golden and slightly crisp. Serve warm.

Streusel

picture taken at night without much lighting

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