This Autumnal Dessert Is the Perfect Mash-Up of Sweet Potato Pie and Cheesecake

1. For the Cookie Crust: If using a two-piece pan, wrap the bottom piece in foil before assembly, then tear away the excess so the pan sits flat. If using a traditional cake pan, line the bottom with a parchment round (explanation and tutorial here). In either case, lightly grease the pan.
   

2. Add the cookie crumbs, melted butter, and salt to the pan, and stir with a fork until well combined. If needed, season to taste with additional salt. With your fingers, compress into an even layer along the bottom of the pan. The mixture may seem drier than you might expect, but it will absorb moisture from the cheesecake as it bakes.
   

3. For the Cheesecake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 225°F (110°C). In a medium bowl, whisk eggs and cream until smooth, then set aside.
   

4. In the bowl of a 14-cup food processor (see notes), blend cream cheese, sweet potatoes, maple syrup, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until relatively smooth, pausing to scrape the bowl as needed to dislodge any pieces of cream cheese that do not initially incorporate. Continue to process until mixture is soft and ultra-smooth, about 4 minutes longer.
   

5. With processor running, slowly pour in egg mixture and process until well combined, about 30 seconds.
   

6. Pour batter into prepared pan and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Bounce the back of a spoon across the surface to dislodge any air bubbles in the batter. If you don't see any, no need to continue. If you do notice a few rising up, keep bouncing the spoon until they're gone.
   

7. Bake until the cheesecake feels firm around the edges, though the innermost ring of cheesecake will wobble when you shake the pan. This softer zone should be no more than 3 inches across. The cheesecake will be done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the very center of the cheesecake registers 155°F (68°C). (Testing with a thermometer will not cause the cheesecake to crack; cracking is the result of over-baking and nothing more.) In an accurate oven, with an 8- by 4-inch aluminum pan, the cheesecake will bake in about 2 1/2 hours. Please be aware the bake time will vary, perhaps substantially, according to the accuracy of the oven's temperature, pan style, batter temperature, and other factors. Cool the cheesecake at least 1 hour (or up to 4) before covering it to refrigerate until cold to the core, at least 12 hours.
   

8. For the Maple-Walnut Caramel Sauce: In a 3-quart stainless steel saucier, combine maple syrup, corn or golden syrup, and salt over medium high heat. Bring mixture to a boil, then simmer, shaking and swirling as needed to ensure even caramelization, until syrup is medium amber and registers 238°F (114°C), 5 minutes to 7 minutes. Immediately add cream and reduce heat to medium-low.
   

9. Stirring constantly with a heat-resistant spatula to knock back the foam, simmer until caramel registers 225°F (107°C) on an instant-read thermometer, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a heat-resistant container, stir in walnuts, and cool to room temperature. Caramel will be runny while warm, but thicken as it cools, turning just a little chewy when cold. Refrigerate up to 1 month in an airtight container.
   

10. To Unmold the Cheesecake From a Two-Piece Cake Pan: Loosen the sides of the cheesecake from the pan with a thin knife or offset spatula. Place the pan on a large can of tomatoes or a similarly sized object (something tall enough to lift the cheesecake 4 inches from the counter, and wide enough to form a stable base). With both hands on the sides of the pan, pull downward to drop the outer ring away from the bottom. Place the cake onto a flat work surface, loosen it from the bottom of the pan with an offset spatula, and transfer to a large, flat serving plate. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until needed, up to 10 days.
    

11. To Unmold the Cheesecake From a Traditional Cake Pan: Loosen the sides of the cheesecake from the pan with a thin knife or offset spatula. Stand the cake in a few inches of scalding hot water until the pan feels warm (a roasting pan works well for this). Drape the cake in plastic wrap to protect its surface and then invert onto a large, flat plate. Lift the pan to pull it away. It should slide free without any resistance; if not, continue standing in hot water a few minutes more. After removing the pan, peel the parchment from the crust, and re-invert the cheesecake onto a serving plate. Cover with plastic and refrigerate until needed, up to 10 days.
    

12. To Serve: Pour chilled maple walnut caramel sauce over cheesecake (if too thick, let sauce stand at room temperature until it reaches a more pourable consistency). Cut the cheesecake with a large chef's knife dipped in hot water; for clean and tidy portions of cheesecake, pause to clean the blade under hot running water between each slice. Serve with extra sauce.
    

Special Equipment

This recipe requires an 8- by 4-inch nonreactive aluminum pan, preferably of a non-latching, two-piece style, such as this one. Otherwise, a traditional cake pan of those dimensions will work, with a touch more effort to unmold. Of course, cheesecake can be baked in any size or style of pan, but the volume of batter, target temperatures, and times will require individual adjustments, which have not been tested here.

Food processor (see notes).

Notes

This recipe works best with moist sweet potato varieties such as Garnet, Jewel, or Beauregard. If you use dry sweet potato varieties, the texture will be more grainy and cake-like. While you can use our preferred frozen-roasting method linked to in the ingredient list to cook the sweet potatoes, you can also simply roast them following these instructions: Adjust oven rack to center position. Place 1 large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil on a work surface. Place potatoes in center, fold up foil and crimp edges to seal tightly. Transfer pouches to a rimmed baking sheet and place in oven. Set oven to 300°F (150°C). Roast until a thin skewer inserted into potatoes meets no resistance, about 2 hours. Remove potatoes from oven and set aside until cool enough to handle.

The volume of batter in this recipe will overwhelm mini-choppers as well as food processors with a "thick liquid" max-fill line of less than 10-cups.

Make-Ahead and Storage

In an airtight container, the cheesecake batter can be refrigerated up to one week and used straight from the fridge.

Wrapped in plastic, the finished cheesecake will keep well for about 10 days in the fridge.