12539 Makes one 10-inch cheesecake Wed Aug 06 01:13:00 -0700 2008 Tue Feb 03 04:54:25 -0800 2009 Licensed http://www.chow.com/recipes/12539 Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:54:25 GMT This is my newest Thanksgiving cheesecake creation. You can use yams instead of the sweet potatoes—they work equally well for this recipe. Be sure to start making the sweet potato purée for the cheesecake filling a few hours in advance (or you can make it a day in advance if you like and just bring to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe).

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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 10-inch springform pan.

To make the crust: In a large bowl, mix together the flour and the sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. (If you don't have a pastry blender, use a fork to cut the butter into the flour mixture.) Add the hazelnuts and, using your hands, toss until all ingredients are well combined. Press into the bottom of the prepared springform pan.

Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack. Lower the oven temperature to 325°F.

To make the crumb topping: In a medium-size bowl, mix together the flour and sugars. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. (If you don't have a pastry blender, use a fork to cut the butter into the flour mixture.) Add the hazelnuts and, using your hands, toss until all ingredients are well combined. Set aside.

To make the filling: Place the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until very smooth. Add the sugars and mix well. Add the cooled sweet potato purée and process until the ingredients are well blended and no bits of sweet potato remain. Transfer the batter to a large bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring with a wooden spoon to combine. Stir in the heavy cream, vanilla, and cinnamon.

Pour the batter over the crust in the pan and set the pan on a baking sheet. Bake for 40 minutes. Slowly and carefully, remove the cheesecake (with the baking sheet) to add the topping. Sprinkle the crumbs evenly over the top of the cake and return it immediately to the oven. Bake for an additional 30 minutes.

At the end of the baking time, turn off the heat and, using a wooden spoon to keep the oven door slightly ajar, cool the cake in the oven for 1 hour. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to sit at room temperature for another hour. Cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours, or overnight. Remove the cake from the refrigerator 15 to 30 minutes before cutting and serving.

]]> http://www.chow.com/assets/2008/08/wiley_magnolia_torey_12539.jpg Allysa Torey 50 Main 1 cup cake flour (not self-rising)

]]> 298 ¼ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

]]> ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened and cut into small pieces

]]> ¾ cup chopped toasted hazelnuts (see Note)

]]> 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

]]> 298 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

]]> 298 3 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar

]]> 6 tablespoons (¾ stick) unsalted butter, softened and cut into small pieces

]]> ¾ cup chopped hazelnuts

]]> Three 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened

]]> ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

]]> 298 ⅔ cup granulated sugar

]]> 298 ⅓ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

]]> 105 1 cup sweet potato purée (about ¾ pound) (see Note)

]]> 4 large eggs, at room temperature

]]> 3 tablespoons heavy cream

]]> 292 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

]]> 279 ¾ teaspoon cinnamon

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