Maple-Glazed Apple and Sweet Potato Gratin

Made by Deanne for Jan 2011 Meeting

Please note. The gratin will reduce in size so make more than you think you'll need.
Adapted from "The Thanksgiving Table" by Diane Morgan.

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons coconut oil
3 tablespoons tapioca flour (or arrowroot flour or any other thickening agent, even cornflour)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 large dark- orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (about 3 lbs)
3 Granny smith apples (about 1.5 lbs), peeled, cored and thinly sliced (an apple corer would come in handy!)

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Coat a circular pyrex baking dish with 1 tablespoon coconut oil. Set aside.
In a small saucepan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of coconut oil over medium-low heat. Add the flour to the pan, whisking constantly, until the flour is blended and cooked through, about 1 minute.
Add the maple syrup and salt. Simmer, whisking frequently, until the sauce thickens, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and reserve.

Arrange a row of alternating sweet potato and apple slices around the pan until filled.
Pour the reserved sauce evenly on top. Cover the dish tightly with foil or the lid and bake for 40 minutes.
Uncover, raise the oven temperature to 450 degrees F and baste the sweet potatoes and apples with the juices that collect in the bottom of the pan. Bake the gratin, basting every 10 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender and nicely browned at the edges, about 30 minutes longer. Serve immediately, or keep warm in a low oven for up to 30 minutes. Baste just before serving. (The gratin can be made up to 8 hours ahead. Cover, and set aside at room temperature until ready to bake.)