Fice-Spice Glazed Sweet Potatoes with Walnut Toffee

6 pounds orange sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
1 c light brown sugar
6 T butter
2 t Chinese five-spice powder
1/4 t freshly grated nutmeg
Salt
Crunchy Walnut Toffee, coarsely chopped (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 400. Spread the sweet potato chunks in two 9x13 baking dishes. Add 1 cup of water to each dish, cover with foil and bake for about 25 minutes until the sweet potatoes are barely tender. Pour off any remaining water from the baking dishes.

In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar with the butter, five-spice powder and nutmeg and cook over moderate heat until the butter is melted and the mixture is bubbling, about 4 minutes. Pour the mixture over the potatoes, stir to coat and season with salt. Bake for about 10 minutes, basting a few times until the potatoes are tender and nicely glazed. Sprinkle the walnut toffee over the potatoes and serve.

Make Ahead: The glazed sweet potatoes can be refrigerated overnight. Reheat before topping and serving.

Cruncy Walnut Toffee

1/2 c sugar
1/4 c water
2 T light corn syrup
2 T butter
1/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 c walnuts, coarsely chopped

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, water, corn syrup and butter and bring to a simmer. Cook over moderate heat, swirling the pan a few times, until a light caramel forms, about 4 minutes. Stir in the baking soda and salt. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the walnuts. Quickly spread the toffee on the prepared baking sheet as thinly as possible. Let cool completely. Break into pieces and serve.