Candied Yams Soufflé Delight (Printable)

Creamy yams combined with spices and candied pecans create a light, elegant soufflé.

# Components:

→ Yams Base

01 - 2 lbs yams or sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
02 - 1/3 cup heavy cream
03 - 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
04 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
07 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
08 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
09 - 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
10 - 3 large eggs, separated

→ Candied Pecan Topping

11 - 1 cup pecan halves
12 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
13 - 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
14 - 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
15 - Pinch of salt

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 2-quart soufflé or baking dish and set aside.
02 - Place yams in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until very tender. Drain thoroughly.
03 - Mash yams until completely smooth. Allow to cool slightly.
04 - Add heavy cream, butter, granulated sugar, maple syrup, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to yams. Mix until fully combined.
05 - Beat in egg yolks one at a time until smooth and well incorporated.
06 - In a separate clean bowl, whisk egg whites until stiff peaks form.
07 - Gently fold egg whites into yam mixture in three additions, taking care not to deflate the mixture.
08 - Pour soufflé base into prepared dish and smooth the top evenly.
09 - In a small bowl, combine pecans, melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Sprinkle evenly over soufflé.
10 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until puffed and set with a golden topping. Let cool slightly before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's deceptively light and airy despite tasting indulgently creamy, which means you can actually eat more than one forkful without feeling weighed down.
  • The candied pecan topping adds this perfect textural contrast that makes people ask for seconds before they've even finished their first bite.
  • It looks impressive enough to feel restaurant-quality, but it's really just creamy yams and whipped egg whites doing the heavy lifting.
02 -
  • Don't open that oven door in the first 30 minutes—the temperature drop can cause your soufflé to deflate faster than you can say Thanksgiving disaster.
  • Make sure your yams are actually sweet potatoes or true yams (the orange ones from the grocery store), not regular potatoes, because the starch content is completely different and will affect everything.
  • Cold soufflé base takes longer to bake and won't rise as high, so if you're prepping ahead, let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before baking.
03 -
  • Invest in a proper soufflé dish or straight-sided baking dish because sloped sides won't give your soufflé room to climb and rise as dramatically as it should.
  • The single most important moment is folding—take your time, use a flexible spatula, and remember that a few streaks of white are actually better than over-mixing, which deflates everything.
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