Preheat oven 400°F.

Peel yams. Cut into 1 inch cubes or wedges.

Arranage yams in generously buttered 9x13 baking dish.

In a saucepan, melt butter and stir in sugar until dissolved over medium heat. Add water and spices.

Bring to a boil, add syrup; reduce heat to a simmer and cook 2 minutes.

Pour butter mixture over yams, turning them to coat well.

Cover pan tightly with alumunum foil and bake on center rack, basting potatoes once or twice during baking. Bake 45 minutes or until fork tender.

When the potatoes are done, remove foil and bake on the upper third of oven at 475°F for about 20 minutes.

As syrup thickens and potatoes start to caramelize watch carefully to avoid burning. Reduce temp if browning to quickly.

Note: If adding marshmallows, spread them over the top and broil an additional 5-10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Variation: Use honey or Karo instead of maple; add 1/4 cup frozen orange concentrate.