Sweet Potato Cheesecake

 

I was going to wait and post this recipe closer to Christmas but after I got SO MANY requests, how could I resist?  Especially since this recipe has been a long time in the making.  Now I know there are tons of ways to make cheesecake and lots of options for ingredients but this is the recipe for you if:

• If you like your cheesecake melt-in-your-mouth creamy.  
• You're patient. (there's a 90 minute baking time and 24 hour chill time)
• You want to incorporate your favorite holiday flavors like cinnamon and nutmeg into your cheesecake.

Having said that, if you're still interested in making this cheesecake, here are a couple of tips:

1. Like with any cake, you should make sure all your ingredients are room temperature.  Take out your ingredients, including the eggs, 1-2 hours before you plan to bake.
2. This cheesecake is best when allowed to set overnight, which is why I said it's for the patient cook.  For the best results, make it the day before you want to serve it.
3. Sweet potatoes are called sweet because...they are! But some are sweeter than others.  I used 1 and a 1/2 cups sugar in this cake because my sweet potatoes weren't that sweet, but if you find those great, dark, super sweet ones, reduce to 1 cup of sugar.
4. You will need special cooking tools to make this cheesecake.  These include: a spring form pan, a food processor, and a large standing mixer.

Ok I think that's it!  I have shared everything you need to know to make this recipe a success.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Crust:

6-10 Graham Cracker Squares, crushed

1/2 stick Unsalted Butter, melted

1 tablespoon Light Brown Sugar

Filling:

2 Eggs

3 Egg Yolks

1 tablespoon Vanilla Extract

1/3 cup Heavy Cream

1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon Ground Ginger

1/8 teaspoon Ground Allspice

20 ounces Cream Cheese, softened

1/3 cup Sour Cream

1 ½ cups Light Brown Sugar

2 cups Sweet Potato Puree (See recipe below)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, combine crushed graham crackers, melted butter, and sugar. Press the mixture into the bottom of a spring form pan; pushing some along the sides as well.  Bake crust for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow the crust to cool. Reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees.

In a small bowl, beat together the eggs, yolks, vanilla, heavy cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice.  Set mixture aside.  Then, in a large mixer with a paddle attachment, beat sour cream, at medium speed, for 1 minute, then add in cream cheese, brown sugar and finally add the sweet potato puree.  Once everything has combined, gradually add in the egg mixture in 2-3 batches, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl before each batch.  Once, everything has combined, stop the mixer.  Pour batter over the graham cracker crust. 

Place the cheesecake in the middle of a large roasting pan.  Pour boiling water (about a tea kettle full) into the roasting pan around the cheesecake to create a steam bath (this promotes even cooking).  Bake cheesecake for 90 minutes and allow it to cool.  Once cheesecake is room temperature, transfer to the refrigerator and allow to chill overnight.  Gently remove from the spring form pan and serve.

Sweet Potato Puree

Ingredients: (makes 2-3 cups depending on size of sweet potatoes)

2-3 Large Sweet Potatoes

1 tablespoon Olive or Vegetable Oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place sweet potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet, rub the skin with oil and roast in the oven until softened (about 60-75 minutes).  Remove from oven and allow to cool. Once cool enough to handle, peel skin off the sweet potatoes and put the flesh into a food processor.  Puree for 2-3 minutes and empty into a bowl.

Puree can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months.