Super Bowl–Sweet Potato Cheese Cake

The next item on the list to make is the cheese cake. I make a sweet potato cheese cake that is just wonderful. When I make it, I try to use Yams instead of just sweet potatoes. I think this makes the cheese cake sweeter plus it gives the cheese cake a nice color. I have no idea where I got this recipe from (probably from the internet) but I think the first time I made it was in 2006 in Detroit. Yes I actually lived in the city at the same time as the game was hosted there. I can honestly say that the game didn’t look any different on the TV as when I don’t live in the city. Here is the recipe:

Recipe: Sweet Potato Cheesecake

1 c  flour
1/2 c  butter, softened
1/4 c  sugar
1/2 tsp  cinnamon
1 egg yolk
3 med  sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
1 tbsp  butter, melted
1 tsp  cinnamon
1 tsp  nutmeg
1 tsp  vanilla
3 pkg  (8oz each) cream cheese, softened
1 c  sugar
4 eggs
CRUMB TOPPING
1/2 c  flour
1/2 c  light brown sugar
6 tbsp  butter, softened
1 tsp  cinnamon
1 c  chopped pecans

1. Heat oven to 400. Stir flour, 1/2 c butter, 1/4 c sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and the egg yolk in medium bowl until mixture forms a ball. Pat about two third of the dough on bottom only of 10 inch springform pan (with side removed) to make bottom crust 1/8 inch thick.

2. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until crust just begins to brown around edges. Reduce oven temp to 300. Attach side to pan. Pat remaining dough about 1 inch up inside of pan.

3. Beat sweet potatoes, 1 tbsp butter, 1 tsp cinnamon, the nutmeg and vanilla in medium bowl with electric mixer on low speed until blended; set aside. Beat cream cheese and 1 cup sugar in large bowl on medium speed about 1 minute or until smooth. Beat in sweet potato mixture on low speed about 1 minute or until blended. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Spoon batter into crust in pan. Place springform pan in larger pan on oven rack. Pour very hot water into larger pan to one-third the height of spring-form pan.

4. Bake about 1 hour 30 minutes, adding very hot water to larger pan as needed, until center is set. Meanwhile, make Crumb Topping; sprinkle over cheesecake. Bake about 30 minutes longer or until topping is set. Remove from pan of water. Cool cheesecake 30 minutes. Loosen side from pan; remove. Refrigerate uncovered 3 to 4 hours or until chilled. Store covered in refrigerator.

CRUMB TOPPING

Stir Flour, brown sugar, butter and cinnamon in small bowl until crumbly. Stir in pecans.

When it comes to cooking tubers or winter squash that is to be mashed and used in another recipe, I prefer to steam them. They cook up perfectly and you have to pretty much forget about them to over cook them.

Steamed sweet potatoes. When I was a kid, thought this type of steamer was the best space ship. I didn’t realize it had a use in the kitchen until I was an adult.

My only real issue with this recipe that it says to put the crust on the bottom of the spring-form pan with out the sides and bake. Then you are supposed to put the sides back on. However the crust will expand. This makes putting the sides back on a little tricky.

Cheese cake in the oven. The little one is for me to try. Have to make sure it is ok to eat for the guests.

The recipe makes a lot of cheese cake and as you can see, you end up with a very full spring form pan.

The final product. Now the hard part, waiting for Sunday to cut into it.

This is a really yummy recipe. Be sure that you keep the pan of water full. This helps keep it from drying out and cracking on top.

And that is a Sweet Potato Cheese Cake. On the list for tomorrow: Cracked Wheat Rolls and deboning a chicken.

Happy eating!