A Thanksgiving Treat - Jewel Yam Candy

This is the yam recipe I've made for Thanksgiving for eons of time. Though I'd like to try other renditions of candied yams, no one else in the family will even think of it because they all love this recipe so much. It isn't the healthiest offering on the Thanksgiving table, but then most everything in it is wholesome nourishment (except for the marshmallows and, of course, the sugar content is up there, but if you make it with coconut palm sugar, at least there is nutrition even in that).

Ingredients:
8 large Jewel yams
Soft butter
3 granny smith apples (sliced thin)
2 cups coconut palm sugar
1 tablespoon stevia
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup soft butter
1 cup pecans halves
1 large package marshmallows (optional)

Directions:
Several days to the night before, bake yams as follows: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

2. Wash yams and coat with soft butter. 

3. Pierce each yam in 3-4 places to allow steam to escape while baking. 

4. Place yams on oven rack and bake until a fork can be inserted in thickest part easily. 

5. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. 

6. Refrigerate overnight or for 4-5 hours.

Day-of, prepare for the final baking as follows: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 

2. Peel yams and cut into 2-inch cubes. 

3. Lay in the bottom of a large baking dish. 

4. Place sliced apples in between yam pieces. 

5. Mix palm sugar, stevia and cinnamon together to combine. 

6. Cut butter into sugar mixture just until crumbly. 

7. Fold in pecan halves. 

8. Drop sugar mixture onto yams and apples by teaspoonfuls. 

9. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes or until yams are saturated with sugar mixture and bubbling. 

10. Remove from oven. 

11. Set the oven to broil. 

12. Distribute marshmallows evenly over top of yams and run under broiler until marshmallows are puffed and golden.