5 lb. yams or sweet potatoes (about 10 lg.)
1 1/2 sticks (12 tbsp.) unsalted butter
1/4 - 1/2 c. brown sugar, to taste
1/4 c. amaretto liqueur or dark rum
1/4 c. orange marmalade
2 tsp. powdered ginger (omit if using gingersnaps, below)
1/2 tsp. salt
24 amaretti cookies (Italian almond macaroons) or 20 gingersnaps

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake yams for 1-1 1/2 hours until very tender. Let stand until cool enough to handle. (I usually buy cooked, canned yams.) Peel the yams, mash well with 4 tablespoons of the butter, the brown sugar, liqueur, marmalade, ginger, and salt.

Pulverize the cookies in a food processor or blender. Add the remaining 8 tablespoons butter and process until well mixed. (Recipe may be prepared to this point 1 day ahead. Refrigerate the yams and amaretti topping separately, covered.)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Generously butter a shallow baking dish. Spread the mashed yams evenly in the dish. Pinch or cut the cookie topping into small pieces and scatter evenly over the yams. Bake for about 30 minutes until yams are heated through and the topping is melted. Transfer to the broiler and cook for 1-2 minutes to crisp and brown the topping.