‘Tis the season for a sweet treat for the kids at Mercy Home for Boys & Girls. Nyah invited a guest chef to partake in the holiday cooking festivities!

In this 2-part series of “Noshing with Nyah,” co-worker Nyah and Mercy Home resident Willie, create holiday treats perfect for eating while opening gifts and singing carols. In this first video, they make Sweet Potato Cheesecake. It’s a sweet treat that you won’t want to stop eating!

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Sweet Potato Cheesecake

Ingredients:

• 8 oz (about 25 cookies) gingersnap cookies, crushed
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
• 2 cups pre-cooked and smashed sweet potatoes
• 3, 8 oz packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Tightly wrap a 9 inch springform pan in heavy duty foil. This step prevents leaks when using a water bath.
3. Lightly spray pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, stir together crushed gingersnap cookies and melted butter until thoroughly combined.
5. Press the crumbs into the bottom and about 1 inch up the sides of the prepared springform pan.
6. Bake gingersnap crust in preheated over for 8 minutes.
7. Remove pan from oven and cool completely.
8. In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with your paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese until smooth.
9. Add sugar and milk until combined.
10. Add eggs, one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Make sure to scrape down the bowl in between each egg.
11. Add in pumpkin spice, vanilla, heavy cream and sweet potato puree and mix until smooth.
12. Pour batter into prepared crust.
13. Place pan int a larger pan and pour boiling water into the larger pan until it is halfway up the side of the cheesecake pan.
14. Bake 55-60 minutes, the edges will appear to be set, but the center will still have some jiggle to it.
15. At this point, turn off the oven, but leave the door cracked and allow the cheesecake to rest in the cooling oven for one hour.
16. After one hour has passed, carefully remove the cheesecake from the water bath and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
17. One the cheesecake is completely cooled, place it into the refrigerator for at least 8 hours.
18. Before serving, top with whipped cream and salted caramel sauce.

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Thanks to our former Manager of Food Service Operations Nyah Griffin, who is also a former resident of Mercy Home, for these delicious recipes and for always making sure our kids have nutritious meals!