Yams with Bing Cherry Butter

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Place yams on a baking sheet. Bake 1 hour, turning once, until tender. Meanwhile, combine cherries and 1 cup boiling water in a bowl; let stand 30 minutes. Drain; pat dry. Pulse cherries in a food processor until coarse. Add butter, extract, and allspice; pulse until cherries are minced. Scrape into a bowl; refrigerate until firm. (Can be made 1 week in advance; wrap tightly and store in fridge.) Serve yams with the butter and spiced pecans. Toss pecan halves with maple syrup, brown sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Spread on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 325 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until pecans are toasted. Let cool; break apart pecans that have stuck together. (Can be made 1 week ahead; store airtight at room temperature.)