Cranberry Apple Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes with Pecans (Print version)

Tender twice-baked sweet potatoes filled with buttery apples, cranberries, maple, warm spices, and crisp toasted pecans.

# Ingredients:

For the sweet potatoes

01 - 4 medium sweet potatoes, about 2 1/2 lb (1.1 kg) total
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the apple-cranberry filling

04 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
05 - 2 medium firm apples, peeled, cored, and diced
06 - 1/2 cup (70 g) dried cranberries
07 - 2 tablespoons maple syrup
08 - 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
09 - 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
11 - 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
12 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
13 - 1/2 cup (55 g) chopped pecans, toasted

# Instructions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Scrub and dry the sweet potatoes, pierce them several times with a fork, rub with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt. Bake on a lined sheet pan for 45-55 minutes, until very tender.
02 - While the potatoes bake, toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant. Transfer to a plate so they do not keep cooking.
03 - Melt the butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add the diced apples, dried cranberries, maple syrup, orange juice, orange zest, cinnamon, nutmeg, and black pepper. Cook for 6-8 minutes, until the apples are tender but not mushy.
04 - Let the roasted sweet potatoes cool for 8-10 minutes. Slice each one in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a bowl, leaving about 1/4 inch inside each skin so the shells hold their shape.
05 - Mash the sweet potato flesh lightly, then fold in the warm apple-cranberry mixture. Spoon the filling back into the skins and place them on the baking sheet.
06 - Sprinkle the toasted pecans over the filled sweet potatoes. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 12-15 minutes, until hot in the center and lightly browned on top. Serve warm.

# Good to know:

01 - Best served warm, soon after the second bake.
02 - The stuffed potatoes can be assembled up to 24 hours ahead.
03 - Add pecans just before the second bake for the crispest texture.

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