Baked Spiced Sweet Potatoes And Pears (Creole) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

4 ounces unsalted butter
3/4 cup cane syrup
1/2 cup pear nectar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup bourbon whiskey
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 large sweet potatoes, halved lengthwise, cut into 1/3-inch slices
4 large bartlett pears, crisp, peeled halved, cored & cut into 1/4-inch slices

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F & butter a 13\"x9\" glass baking dish.
In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stir butter, cane syrup, pear nectar, vanilla, Bourbon & OJ until butter melts.
Increase heat & boil until mixture is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes, then remove from heat & whisk in the cinnamon, nutmeg & salt.
Arrange1/3 of the potato slices in the prepared baking dish, then top with half of the pear slices, & then with another 1/3 of the potato slices. Finally, arrange the remaining slices of potato & pear on top & on their edge, alternating potato & pear, & overlapping slightly.
Sprinkle lightly with salt, then pour the cane syrup mixture over everything.
Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil & bake until sweet potatoes are nearly tender, about 1 hour.
Uncover & bake until completely tender, basting occasionally with the syrup, for about 20-30 minutes longer, checking with a toothpick or knife point to make sure the potatoes are completely tender.
Spoon the syrup over the sweet potatoes & pears one last time & serve hot.