Purple Sweet Potato Basque Cheesecake

Purple sweet potato cheesecake is a vibrant and unique dessert that combines the creamy texture of cheesecake with the natural sweetness and earthy flavor of purple sweet potatoes. This cheesecake is often made using a traditional cheesecake base, incorporating cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and heavy cream, but with the addition of purple sweet potato puree, which not only adds a striking color but also infuses the cake with a subtle sweetness and a hint of nuttiness.

The cake's texture was a bit different due to the starchy nature of the sweet potatoes, which gave it a slightly grainy and sticky quality that was visible but didn’t bother me at all. However, not everyone may enjoy this unique texture, as it is quite different from traditional cheesecake.

Ingredients:

- 250 g cream cheese, room temperature

- 120 g heavy cream, room temperature

- 2 eggs, room temperature

- 60 g sugar

- 100 g purple sweet potato puree

- 20 g sweet potato powder 

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Sweet Potato Puree: Cook and mash the purple sweet potato until smooth. Let it cool completely.

2. Preheat the Oven: Set the oven to 220°C (425°F).

3. Prepare the Baking Form: Line the bottom of a 6-inch round baking pan with parchment paper.

4. Mix Cream Cheese and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, cream the room temperature cream cheese with sugar using a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy.

5. Add Eggs: Slowly add the room temperature eggs to the cream cheese mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition until fully incorporated.

6. Add Heavy Cream and Sweet Potato: Pour in the room temperature heavy cream, add the sweet potato puree, and the purple sweet potato powder. Blend until well combined. 

7. Pour the Batter: Pour the cheesecake batter into the prepared baking pan, smoothing the top with a spatula.

8. Bake: Bake the cheesecake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the top is set and caramelized. The center should still be slightly jiggly.

9. Cool Down: Once baked, remove the cheesecake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 30 minutes at room temperature.

10. Chill: Transfer the cheesecake to the refrigerator and chill for about 4 hours or until fully set.

11. Serve: Once chilled, carefully remove the cheesecake from the pan, slice, and enjoy!