Name: Honey-Garlic Melting Sweet Potatoes
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1¼ cups chicken broth; 2 tablespoons honey; 2 teaspoons cornstarch; 1¼ teaspoons table salt , divided; ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper; 3 pounds sweet potatoes , peeled and ends trimmed; 6 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted; ½ teaspoon pepper; 3 garlic cloves , smashed and peeled; 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Why This Recipe Works

Melting potatoes (also known as fondant potatoes or pommes de terre fondantes) come from a French technique for searing coins of potatoes and finishing them in broth, yielding ultracreamy interiors. We applied the same philosophy to sweet potatoes, balancing their natural sweetness with a savory pan sauce. Instead of using a skillet, we opted for a baking pan to fit enough sweet potatoes for a crowd and roasted them at 450 degrees for maximum browning. We then flipped the potatoes and added an aromatic broth mixture to finish tenderizing and seasoning them while creating a velvety pan sauce. Since sweet potatoes are less starchy than regular potatoes, we added cornstarch to help the sauce thicken in the oven. Honey provided additional glaze and shine, and garlic and fresh thyme gave the dish a distinctly savory identity. The result is buttery, decadent, and certainly melt-in-your-mouth delicious.

Before You Begin

Look for sweet potatoes that are 2 to 3 inches in diameter. We do not recommend using a glass or ceramic baking dish in place of the metal baking pan called for here; hot baking dishes are prone to cracking when cooler liquid is added (as in step 2). Sprinkle flake sea salt over the potatoes just before serving, if desired.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Whisk broth, honey, cornstarch, ¼ teaspoon salt, and cayenne together in small bowl; set aside. Cut potatoes crosswise into 1-inch-thick rounds. Toss potatoes with melted butter, pepper, and remaining 1 teaspoon salt in large bowl. Arrange potatoes in single layer in 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

Roast until potatoes are tender when pierced with paring knife and bottoms are lightly browned, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Using flat metal spatula and tongs, loosen potatoes from bottom of pan and flip. Add garlic to pan. Whisk broth mixture to recombine, then pour around potatoes, avoiding tops of potatoes. Continue to roast until liquid has reduced slightly, about 15 minutes longer.

Carefully transfer potatoes to serving platter, browned side up; discard garlic. Stir sauce in pan to recombine, then spoon over potatoes. Sprinkle potatoes with thyme. Serve.