Sweet Potato Cheesecake

Biscoff crust

• 14 oz Biscoff cookies
• 1 cup sugar
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted
• ¼ cup raw (turbinado) sugar, stirred in after mixing

Sweet potato puree

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, roasted or boiled
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted

Cream cheese filling

• 4 blocks (8 oz each) cream cheese, room temperature
• ⅓ cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature
• 1½ cups sugar
• 3 teaspoons lemon juice and 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 5 large eggs, room temperature
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 2 cups prepared sweet potato puree

Pecan streusel topping

• 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
• ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, packed
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup (109 g) pecans, roughly chopped, divided
• ½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, melted

Optional whipped cream

• 1 cup cold heavy whipping cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla

Beat on medium-high until medium peaks form, about 3 to 4 minutes. Spoon it on each slice, not the whole cake, so the streusel stays crunchy.

Make this shit

1. 01 / RoastHeat the oven to 350°F. Prick the sweet potatoes with a fork and bake on a sheet pan for 1 hour. (Or peel, cut into large pieces and boil 25 to 30 minutes, then drain.) Cool, peel if roasted, and set aside.
2. 02 / Prep the panKeep the oven at 350°F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan and wrap the bottom and sides in foil.
3. 03 / CrustFinely crush the Biscoff cookies in a food processor. Mix with 1 cup sugar and 8 tablespoons melted butter. Once it's mixed together, stir in ¼ cup raw sugar. Press firmly over the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides.
4. 04 / PureeMash the sweet potatoes. Add the heavy cream, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and 3 tablespoons melted butter. Beat until smooth. Measure out 2 cups for the filling.
5. 05 / BeatIn a large bowl, beat the room-temperature cream cheese, mascarpone and sugar until smooth and creamy.
6. 06 / MixMix in the 2 cups sweet potato puree, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla and 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the cornstarch and mix on low just until combined. Do not overmix.
7. 07 / FillPour the filling into the crust and spread it evenly.
8. 08 / Water bathSet a small oven-safe bowl upside down in a large baking sheet. Set the springform on the bowl, then pour 1 inch of boiling water into the sheet so the pan sits centered in the water bath.
9. 09 / BakeBake for 1 hour. Turn off the oven and crack the door. Leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 more hour, then take it out and cool completely.
10. 10 / StreuselWhile it cools, stir together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and ½ cup of the pecans. Pour in the melted butter and mix until clumps form. Spread on a parchment-lined sheet pan and bake at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden. Cool.
11. 11 / TopScatter the streusel over the cooled cheesecake and finish with the remaining ½ cup pecans.
12. 12 / ChillRefrigerate in the springform pan at least 5 hours or overnight. Remove the pan when you're ready to serve.