Tag Archives: dessert

Scrumptious Sweet Potato Cheesecake

February 6, 2012
6
Sweet Potato Cheesecake – The Perfect Dessert!
Yumm!!!
This week’s recipe puts a new spin on a great American flavor classic. We all love a traditional cheesecake…right? And we also love our delicious sweet potatoes…right? Isn’t it about time that we put the two together? Well, of course it is. The creamy sweetness of our sassy orange friends is the perfect compliment to a decadent treat like cheesecake. Contrary to what you might think, your cheesecake will still end up with a light yellowy color. We are going to put in just enough sweet potatoes to add moisture and richness and then, just when you think that it can’t get any better, we are going to top it all off with a hot caramel nut glaze.  Ahhh…perfection!!  Still need more wow factor?  Add a tsp of vanilla or almond flavoring into the filling before baking.  Now the only thing left to decide is who to share this with. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. I bet that special someone would be impressed with a gourmet cheesecake gift. I know I would be.  Happy Baking!!

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 2 pounds sweet potatoes
  • 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
  • 7/8 cup white sugar
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 3 eggs
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C ). Mix together graham cracker crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/4 cup melted butter or margarine. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9 1/2 inch springform pan. Bake 10 minutes. Cool. Don’t turn the oven off.
  2. Bake potatoes until a knife inserted in center goes through easily, about 1 hour. Cool sweet potatoes enough to handle, peel, and puree.
  3. Transfer 1 1/2 cups of sweet potato puree to a large bowl. Add cream cheese, 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons white sugar, sour cream and 1/4 cup cream; beat until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, blending well after each. Pour filling into crust.
  4. Bake until tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour. Turn off the oven. Let cake stand 1 hour in oven with door ajar.
  5. Combine brown sugar and 1/4 cup butter or margarine in a heavy small saucepan. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat, and bring to a boil. Mix in 1/4 cup cream, then nuts. Pour hot topping over cheesecake. Refrigerate.

Something Sweet for the Holidays

November 19, 2011
10

It’s the best time of the year to be a sweet potato fan! November always brings a surge of new sweet potato products to the store shelves, fresh sweet potatoes are always on sale and the blogs, chat rooms and message board start filling up with wonderful Thanksgiving recipes.

During this time, you will no doubt see countless variations of holiday classics like Sweet Potato Pie and Sweet Potato Casserole.  However, if you are looking for something extra special, try a new holiday classic – Sweet Potato Cheesecake. What could be more perfect? Cheesecake’s rich and creamy decadence paired with the subtle sweetness of Sweet Potatoes. Add in a pinch of warm spices and top it all off with a liquid chocolate glaze… This may be the most perfect Holiday dessert ever. Get ready to make a second one for Thanksgiving, because this is so good the first batch will be long gone when Turkey Day rolls around.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 1 cup ground pecan pieces
  • 1 stick melted butter
  • 3 pounds cream cheese, softened and cubed
  • 1 cup white corn syrup
  • 6 eggs
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pound sweet potatoes, roasted peeled and mashed
  • 1 cup prepared chocolate sauce – warmed

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the crumbs, ground pecans and the butter together. Mix well and press into a 10-inch spring-form pan. Mix or blend the cream cheese until smooth. Add the corn syrup and blend. Add the eggs one at a time to thoroughly incorporate into the cheese mixture. Add the heavy cream.  Add the flour, salt, spices and vanilla and blend until smooth. Add the mashed sweet potatoes and blend until smooth. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the cake is set.

Remove from the oven and with a knife loosen the sides from the pan. This will prevent the cake from spiting down the center. Completely cool the cake before cutting.

Top each piece of cake with Whipped Cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce.

Fit for a King

October 15, 2011
16

The sweet potato truly is food royalty. No other food come close to packing so many nutritional benefits into such a tasty package. Sweet Potatoes are rich in beta carotene, an essential antioxidant. Plus, they deliver vitamin C and folate which can help reduce the risk of heart disease. On top of all those wonderful benefits, sweet potatoes are also low on the glycemic index and glycemic load charts. Sweet potatoes truly are the Duke of Dinner, the Prince of the Plate and the King of the Superfoods.

So what recipe can truly capture the sweet potato in all its grandeur? Why, Sweet Potato Crowns, of course. These scrumptious treats are so sinfully decadent that you may just forget that you are eating healthy!

This culinary delight is the perfect practice recipe to get you in the mood to begin planning your Thanksgiving meal. It is beautiful, decadent and actually very simple to make. It is the perfect side dish to complement your savory holiday offerings, but can also work equally well as a dessert. So go ahead and give these crowns a try, and be sure to  come back to Sweet Bytes Blog soon. The countdown to the busiest time of the year for our royal sweets is officially underway.

Sweet Potato Crowns
Ingredients
  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large unpeeled sweet potatoes, cut into 1-1/2-inch slices with ends discarded
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 tablespoon butter, softened
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
     
  2. In a large bowl, combine oil and salt; mix well. Add sweet potatoes and toss until evenly coated.
     
  3. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and cook 25 to 30 minutes, or until fork-tender.
     
  4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon, and butter until crumbly. Sprinkle on each potato round and return to oven; cook 8 to 10 minutes, or until sugar is melted. Serve immediately.

Classic Recipes with a New Twist

September 30, 2011
9

I have spent the last week sorting through my stacks of recipe books and recipe cards. As I have done so, I have rediscovered some family favorites. Some belonging to my mother and even my grandmother. That’s the wonderful thing about recipes – they become part of our own traditions as they get passed along to family and friends. The first recipe I want to share with you began life as a classic mashed sweet potato dish, but over time it has become a quicker, and easier version that now has less fat and more nutrients than the traditional version.

And while you are mashing your sassy sweets, be sure to sit two spuds aside to make a classic Chocolate Sweet Potato Cake. This recipe dates back to at least the 1940s, but it is anything but old-fashioned. This decadent treat is so moist and rich you will swear it was made by a noveau gourmet. This cake is packed with ingredients that take you on a pleasant stroll down memory lane. When I was a little girl, I helped my Granny prepare it. I ate this cake thinking it was a reward for helping prepare it. Little did I know that I was a mini-toddler sous chef!

This week, why not add these to your own collection of family favorites. Taste them, tweak them, and be sure to share them with friends.

Spicy Mashed Sweets

Ingredients
  • 4 sweet potatoes
  • 2 medium purple onions,  diced
  • 1/2 cup margarine
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
  • 2 tablespoons light maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon cumin, ground
  • 1/2 cup pecans, toasted
Instructions
  1. Peel and cube sweet potatoes. Combine sweet potatoes, onions margarine and salt in a lightly greased 2-quart baking dish.
     
  2. Bake, covered, at 375 degrees F for 40 to 45 minutes or until potato is tender. Remove from oven.  
  3. Add syrup,lemon juice, red pepper, cumin and cinnamon; mash, leaving a few lumps.
     
  4. Sprinkle with pecans.

    Chocolate Sweet Potato Cake

    Ingredients

    • 2/3 cup butter, softened
    • 2 cups sugar
    • 4 eggs
    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 1 tablespoon baking cocoa
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon each ground cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves
    • 1/2 cup milk
    • 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled, cooked, mashed and cooled
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 cups chopped pecans
    • 1/2 cup raisins
    • Confectioners’ sugar, optional



    Directions

    In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and spices; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. Beat in sweet potatoes and vanilla until blended. Stir in pecans and raisins.

    Transfer to a greased and floured 10-in. fluted tube pan. Bake at 350° for 70-80 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with confectioners’ sugar if desired. Yield: 12-16 servings.

    Keep Warm on A Cold Winter’s Night

    February 15, 2010
    10

    Are you longing longing for a warm, comfort food on a cold winter’s night?  Well, look no further than our old friend, the Sweet Potato. The Sweet Potato is the perfect treat for cold days and nights. How about some smooth and creamy Sweet Potato Pie? Or maybe Sweet Potato Burritos with Mexi-Veggies?  I am feeling warmer already!  Both recipes are comforting to the max, vegetarian and totally delicious. Let’s start with our Entree.  It has a two parts, and both are super easy.

    Sweet Potato Burritos with Mexi-Veggies

     The Sweet Potatoes:

    • Two large sweet potatoes
    • ½ onion
    • One clove garlic
    • Salt, Pepper, and Cayenne to taste

    Cut the sweet potatoes into two-inch cubes. Boil in water until barely soft. Combine onion and spices in a pan and saute until onions are browning. Add the sweet potatoes and let cook for ten minutes.

    The Mexi-Veggies

    • ½ of a cabbage
    • ½ onion
    • 2 cups mushrooms
    • one clove garlic
    • salt,  pepper and cumin to taste

    Chop onion, mushrooms and cabbage into half inch wide slices. Sautee oinions and finely chopped garlic for two minutes in a pan with a splash of olive oil. Add the mushrooms and cabbage. Add the rest of the ingredients – as much spice as you like and when the mushrooms and cabbage are browning, remove from heat. Add half of a fresh squeezed lime and toss in fresh cilantro.

    Serve with tortillas, guacamole, refried beans and your favorite Mexican side dishes.

    This rich and creamy sweet potato pie is also super easy, with only one mixing bowl required.  That is my kind of recipe!

    Quick and Sassy Sweet Potato Pie

    Ingredients:

    • 4 ounces butter, softened
    • 2 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
    • 2 cups granulated sugar
    • 1 small can (5 ounces, about 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons) evaporated milk
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla
    • 3 eggs, beaten
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
    • 2 prepared pie shells, unbaked

    Preparation:

    Mix butter, potatoes, sugar and evaporated milk until well blended. Add vanilla, eggs, and cinnamon; mix well. Pour into the prepared pie shells. Bake in a 350° oven for about 1 hour, until set.

    Maybe, we should imitate Mother Nature and put something cold on top.  Our favorite Vanilla Ice Cream!

    You can’t find  a warmer place than in the kitchen on a cold winter day.   

    Happy Thanksgiving!!

    November 26, 2009
    16

    Happy Thanksgiving! Today is a day that surely belongs in the Sweet Potato Hall of Fame.  Thousands of pounds of sweet potatoes have just been served in what is usually on the the largest and healthiest meals of the year.  Our favorite orange spud was turned into cakes, pies and casseroles in households all across the nation. We truly live in a great country, where we can have something new to be thankful about everyday. Below are some of the great sweet potato recipes that I am thankful for this year.

    A perennial southern that has gained popularity across the United States is Sweet Potato Pie. No one can quite agree on what makes the perfect Sweet Potato pie.  Some are light and silky smooth, others are thick and super-rich.  Some are spicy and some let the sweet potatoes speak for themselves. One thing can never be argued, though.  They are all delicious.  Here is one of my favorite versions. Sweet Potato Pecan Pie.  If you use nutmeg in your pie, try fresh ground.  The flavor is so much better, and it really makes the pie come alive.

    Another popular Autumn dessert is Sweet Potato Cheesecake.  One of the best is Emeril Lagasse’s Sweet Potato Cheesecake with bourbon whipped cream.  It has just the right amount of Sweet Potato to lend a beautiful light orange color and a sweet – but not too sweet – flavor.  The bourbon whipped cream is a perfect accent.  One note, this recipe calls for Steen’s cane syrup, which can be hard to find outside of Louisianna, but you can substitute corn syrup instead.

    Of course, no Thanksgiving meal would be complete without a sweet potato casserole.  To its loyal fans, nothing can compete with this blend of perfectly spiced mash sweet potatoes covered with mounds of ooey-gooey marshmallows. This casserole is hard to beat, its easy, delicious and looks beautiful on the table. I mean, what looks better than those toasty brown ‘mallows resting on top of all that sweet orange goodness. 

    PS:  A great idea for any leftover mashed sweet potatoes is to make Holiday Left-Over Sweet Potato Cakes.  These cakes are so moist and delcious, the don’t even need icing.  Make them now, or freeze your leftover’s and make them for Christmas!

    Sweet Potatoes Around the World

    October 14, 2009
    16

    When you think of a sweet potato, there is a good chance that you associate it with classic American and Southern recipes. And while it is certainly true that the sweet potato is a staple in America, the same is true for much of the world. From the Spainish Turnovers to African Sweet Potato Stew, the sweet potato is truly is a vegetable with international flair. With great recipes like Thai Sweet Potato Fritters and these Sweet Potato Latkes, the versatility of this yummy gem has been adapted to almost every combination of exotic spice and regional cooking methods. Discover the wide world of sweet potatoes – a cultural melting pot of goodness – served right in your kitchen.

    This weeks recipe is a Japanese take on Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes.  The delicate flavor and moisture of the sweet potatoes is enhanced with rich cream and sugar to make a scrumptious twice-baked dessert.

    Japanese Sweet Potato Dessert

    Ingredients

    2 Sweet Potatoes
    4 Tablespoon Sugar
    1 1/2 Tablespoon Butter
    1/4 cups Heavy Cream
    1 Egg Yolk
    1/2 tbsp Rum
    A Few Drops of Vanilla Extract

    Egg Wash:
    1 Egg Yolk for Gloss Finish
    1/2 tsp Water
    Black Sesame Seeds

    Directions:

    Bake the sweet potatoes and then cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out the centers into a saucepan and save skins.  Add sugar, vanilla, butter, cream, egg yolk and rum. Mash well, and then heat on stove top until the mixture is hot throughout. Stuff skins with sweet potato mixture. Prepare egg wash by mixing the egg yolk with water and then brush over each potato. Top with black sesame seeds. Bake in a 400 degree oven until golden brown.