1 large yam or sweet potato (about 18 ounces) or 1 cup canned pureed yams or sweet potatoes
vegetable oil
recipe for caramel
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons allspice
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
2 cups half and half
2 cups condensed milk
6 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons dark rum

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400°F if using a fresh yam. Rub the yam with vegetable oil, place on a baking tray and bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, until a knife easily pierces the potato at its thickest part. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then peel and mash with a fork. (The mashed potato should measure about 1 cup.)

Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F.

Prepare the caramel by combining 2 cups of sugar and 1/2 cup of water in a medium saucepan. Use a pastry brush dipped in cold water to wash down any sugar granules from the pot's sides. Cook over moderate heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until the color is dark brown and the mixture has the distinctive fragrance of caramel, 10 to 15 minutes. Pour enough of the caramel into a 9 inch round cake pan to coat the bottom and sides. Swirl to coat evenly.

Slowly and carefully add another 3/4 cup water to the caramel in the saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook over moderate heat until the caramel dissolves, about 5 minutes. Occasionally stir and brush down the sides with a pastry brush dipped in cold water to prevent crystallization. Set this caramel sauce aside to cool then chill until needed.

Combine all of the remaining ingredients with the mashed or pureed yams in al large bowl and thoroughly mix. Pass through a strainer, pressing with a spatula, into the coated cake pan.

Place the cake pan inside a larger roasting pan and fill with hot tap water to come halfway up the sides of the smaller pan. Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes to 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the center just feels firm when pressed. Set aside to cool in the water bath. Remove from the water, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 4 to 6 hours or overnight.

To serve, run a knife along the inside edge of the pan and gently press the center of the bottom to loosen. Cover with a platter, invert and remove the pan. Excess caramel can be drained from the pan and added to the reserved caramel sauce. Cut in wedges and serve topped with cold caramel sauce.

Serves 8 to 10

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