Best Sweet Potato Crust Recipes

ROASTED DIJON-BRUHED CHICKEN BREAST WITH HERB CRUST, SWEET POTATO AND ARUGULA RISSOTO

Steps:

• 1. Preaheat oven to 425 F 2. Peel and dice sweet potato 3. Remove skin from breast. Place in a shallow roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper. Brush breast with Dijon mustoard and cover with fresh berbs, patting gently to adhere. 4. Roast in oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 160 F. Removre form oven and let rest whil risotto finishes. 5. For risotto, heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook leeks, mushrooms, thyme and rosemary, stirring, for 4 minutes or until softened. Transfer to a bowl. 6. Melt butter in a saucepan; add rice and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add chardonnay and cook until absorbed. 7. Add 1 cup hot stock bubbles gently and is absorbed slowly. Continue adding 1 cup stock at a time, stirring almost constantly, for 15 minutes. 8. Add sliced sweet potato and mushrooms mixture. Cook, stirring often, adding more stock when absorbed, until rice is just tender. 9. Add arugula and cream. Cook, stirring for 1 minute, until arugula is wilted. 10. Stir in Parmigiano and season with salt and pepper to taste. 11. Spoon sisotto into wide bowks and top with chicken.

SWEET POTATO CHEESECAKE WITH GINGERSNAP CRUST

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch deep dish pie plate with nonstick cooking spray.
• Mix the cookie crumbs, brown sugar, butter and salt together in a medium bowl until well blended. Press the mixture into the pie plate. Bake until set and the crust feels firm, 7 to 10 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
• To make the cheesecake filling: In a stand mixer or with an electric hand mixer, combine the cream cheese, sour cream, granulated sugar and salt, mixing at low speed until the mixture is smooth with no lumps, 3 to 4 minutes. Beat in the vanilla and eggs.
• Add the filling to the crust, smooth the top, and chill in the freezer until the filling is sturdy and set up, at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
• For the sweet potato topping: In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Whisk in the sweet potatoes, half and half, butter, vanilla and eggs until smooth. Pour slowly over the chilled cheesecake filling.
• Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and bake, covering the edges with foil if it browns too quickly, until set along the outside and the center still has a slight jiggle, 55 to 60 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before refrigerating until ready to serve.

SWEET POTATO PIE WITH GINGERSNAP CRUST

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Place cookies in the bowl of food processor; pulse until fairly fine, yielding 1 cup crumbs. Transfer to a medium bowl, and stir in 4 tablespoons melted butter. Press mixture into bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie tin. Bake until set and slightly darkened, 12 to 15 minutes. Do not overbake. Set aside.
• Turn oven up to 375 degrees. Fill a small saucepan with water. Add potato, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until potato is very tender, about 12 minutes. Drain.
• In a bowl, combine flour, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves; set aside.
• Pass potato through a food mill or potato ricer into the bowl of an electric mixer. Add sugar, eggs, and condensed milk. Mix until combined. Stir in remaining 3 tablespoons butter until combined. Add reserved flour mixture, and combine. Pour filling into cooled crust, and bake until filling is set, 30 to 35 minutes. Serve at room temperature with whipped cream, if desired.

SWEET-POTATO PIE WITH GINGERSNAP PECAN CRUST

Steps:

• Make crust:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour pie plate, knocking out excess flour.
• Toss together all crust ingredients in a bowl with a fork until crumbs are moistened, then press evenly over bottom and up side of pie plate. Bake crust 6 minutes, then cool on a rack.
• Make filling:
• Increase oven temperature to 400°F.
• Prick each sweet potato once with a fork. Roast in a foil-lined shallow baking pan until tender, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Halve potatoes lengthwise and cool.
• While potatoes cool, cook sugar in a dry 8-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, undisturbed, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until sugar melts into a deep golden caramel. Remove from heat. Carefully pour water down side of skillet (mixture will bubble and steam vigorously), then return to heat and simmer, stirring, until hardened caramel is completely dissolved. Remove from heat.
• When potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel, then cut away any eyes or dark spots. Purée potatoes in a food processor until smooth, then add eggs, cinnamon, and salt and blend until smooth. Add milk, caramel, rum, and vanilla, and blend until combined well.
• Pour filling into crust. Bake until filling 2 inches from edge is slightly puffed and center trembles slightly when gently shaken, 40 to 50 minutes (top may crack; filling will continue to set as it cools). If the crust begins to brown too much before the filling is done, crimp a ring of foil or use a pie shield to protect it. Cool pie on rack about 1 hour.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.

SWEET POTATO RUM PIE WITH WALNUT-GINGERSNAP CRUST

Steps:

• Make crust:
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Blend gingersnap crumbs, walnuts, sugar and salt in processor until walnuts are finely chopped. Add butter and process until mixture forms moist crumbs. Press crust onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter metal pie pan.
• Make filling:
• Purée yams in processor. Add 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cream, brown sugar, egg and yolk, rum, pumpkin pie spice and salt; blend until smooth. Pour into crust. Smooth top. Place walnut halves around edges.
• Bake until filling is set in center, about 40 minutes. Cool pie on rack. Chill until cold. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Keep refrigerated.) Pipe or spoon sweetened whipped cream on top of pie between walnuts, if desired.

SWEET POTATO PECAN PIE WITH HOMEMADE GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST

Steps:

• Combine the first four ingredients; press onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 9-in. pie plate. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack., In a large bowl, combine the filling ingredients. Pour into crust. Bake for 30 minutes., Meanwhile, in another bowl, combine the pecans, coconut, brown sugar, oats, flour and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over pie; bake for 10-15 minutes longer or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean and topping is golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate leftovers.

OLD-FASHIONED CHICKEN POT PIE WITH SWEET POTATO CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Place chicken, vegetables, and parsley in a 2 1/2 qt baking dish.
• In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
• Saute garlic for 2 minutes.
• Stir in the 6 tablespoons of flour, and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute to make roux.
• Add half-and-half and chicken broth slowly, still stirring constantly.
• Season with salt, pepper, and thyme.
• Continue cooking and stirring until sauce boils and thickens.
• Pour sauce over chicken and vegetble mixture.
• Sift remaining cup of flour together with baking powder and salt into a bowl.
• With a fork, work in mashed sweet potatoes with vegetable oil and egg.
• Lightly flour a board and roll out dough with a rolling pin to about 1/4" thick.
• Cover casserole dish with dough and pinch edges all the way around.
• Make several small slits in the dough.
• Bake until crust is golden-brown (35-40 minutes).

SMOKED CHICKEN POT PIE WITH SWEET POTATO CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a large bowl combine flour with salt, and pepper. Cut in the butter with a fork or pastry blender until the mixture looks crumbly.
• In another bowl combine eggs, milk, and sweet potato puree. Add to the flour mixture and stir gently until combined. Don't overmix!
• Divide dough into quarters. On a lightly floured surface roll each piece into a circle about 1/8-inch thick. Cut the circles to fit the size of the serving bowls. Brush with egg wash and bake on a parchment lined baking sheet until lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the onions and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the flour and cook until deep golden brown. Slowly whisk in the hot milk and cook until thickened. Reduce the heat and cook for 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. If the mixture is too thick, thin with a little extra milk.
• Add the mushrooms, turnips, carrots, onions, peas and chicken to the sauce and gently fold to combine and heat through. Season the sauce with salt and pepper and stir in the parsley.
• Spoon the hot filling into bowls and top with a circle of the baked sweet potato dough.

SWEET POTATO TART WITH COCONUT CRUST AND PECAN STREUSEL

Steps:

• To make the crust, put the flour, sugar, coconut, and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and shortening and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add the egg yolks to the water and, with the machine running, pour it through the feed tube. Pulse until the dough comes together and forms a ball. Turn it out onto a sheet of plastic wrap, flatten it into a disk, and wrap it tightly. Chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
• To make the rum crème anglaise, whisk the egg yolks and sugar in a medium bowl until smooth and pale yellow. In a medium saucepan, bring the half-and-half to a boil. Remove from the heat. Gradually add about 1/2 cup of the half-and-half to the egg yolks, whisking constantly, to temper them. Transfer the egg mixture to the saucepan with the remaining half-and-half and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, 2 to 3 minutes; it should register 175°F on an instant-read thermometer. Strain into a bowl and add the vanilla bean and rum. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled. (The crème anglaise can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to a 12-inch round. Fit the dough into a 10-inch fluted pan with a removable bottom, pressing it gently onto the bottom and up the sides. Trim the excess dough. Prick all over the bottom with a fork. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• Line the tart shell with parchment paper or foil and fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the paper and weights and bake for 5 to 10 minutes longer, or until golden brown and crisp on the bottom. Let cool slightly on a rack before filling, about 20 minutes.
• To make the filling, prick the sweet potatoes a few times with a fork. Bake for about 45 minutes, until tender. Let cool.
• Peel the sweet potatoes and pass through a food mill. (You need 2 cups pureed sweet potatoes for the filling.)
• Lower the oven to 350°F.
• In a large bowl, combine the sweet potatoes, eggs, sugar, salt, ginger, cinnamon, vanilla extract, half-and-half, and butter and whisk with a sturdy whisk until satiny smooth. (The filling can be made ahead, covered, and refrigerated for up to 2 days.)
• To make the streusel, put the pecans, flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Add the butter and pulse a few times until the mixture comes together a bit. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and, working quickly, rub the mixture between your fingers until the streusel is in lumps slightly larger than peas.
• Pour the filling into the prebaked crust. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top of the tart. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the filling is slightly puffed and set in the middle. Let cool slightly on a rack. To serve, cut the tart into wedges and drizzle with rum crème anglaise.
• Variation:
• Cinnamon crème anglaise is another worthy companion if rum doesn't suit your fancy. Simply omit the rum and add 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon along with the vanilla.

BOBBY FLAY'S SMOKED CHICKEN POT PIE WITH SWEET POTATO CRUST

Steps:

• To make the crust, stir the flour, salt, and pepper together in a large bowl. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir the egg, milk, and sweet potato puree together in a bowl. Add the mixture to the flour, and gently mix with a rubber spatula until just combined. Transfer the mixture to a lightly floured surface, and lightly knead until the dough just comes together. Form into a round and flatten it slightly. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• To make the filling, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the flour and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden brown. Slowly whisk in the hot milk and cook until thickened. Reduce the heat and cook for 5 minutes, whisking occasionally. If the mixture is too thick, thin it with a little extra milk.
• Add the mushrooms, turnips, carrots, onions, peas, chicken, and chipotle, if using, to the sauce and fold gently to combine. Season the filling with salt and pepper, and stir in the parsley.
• Divide the dough in half, and roll each half out on a lightly floured surface until 1/8 inch thick. Invert individual heatproof bowls on the pastry sheet, and using a sharp knife, cut circles around the outside of the bowls that are slightly larger than the bowls. Fill the bowls three-quarters full with the chicken filling, making sure each serving has a nice amount of chicken, vegetables, and broth. Carefully cap each bowl with a pastry round, pressing the dough around the rim to form a seal. Brush the tops with the egg wash and season with salt and pepper. Use a paring knife to make a small slit in the center of the dough. (Alternatively, roll one large crust and use it to top a family-style pot pie in a 10-inch baking dish.)
• Place the bowls on baking sheets, and bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, 15 to 18 minutes for individual pies and 25 to 30 minutes for one large pot pie. Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.

SWEET POTATO PASTRY CRUST (VEGAN / GLUTEN FREE)

Steps:

• Cook the sweet potato by steaming or boiling, then mash it until smooth (discard skin). Put it in a bowl and refrigerate at least 2 hours before starting the pie.
• Put the rice flour, xanthan gum and baking powder into a large mixing bowl and stir them all together.
• Take the sweet potato out of the fridge and add the dry ingredients into the mash.
• Sprinkle the counter with a few tablespoons of rice flour and knead the dough until it's no longer sticky.
• Press the dough into a ball and then cover and refrigerate for another 30 minutes (I skip this step if I need to make the pie immediately).
• Take the dough out of the fridge and roll it out on a floured surface, then press it into your greased pie pan. (I sometimes need a spatula to help pick it all up at once, it's more fragile than regular pastry dough and may need a little help being transferred from the counter to the pan).
• Bake the shell right away or fill it first with the fruit or pie ingredients of your choice. Baking time depends on the kind of pie but it's usually around 40 minutes.

COCONUT-SWEET POTATO PIE WITH SPICED CRUST

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Put the sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan, add water to cover by about an inch, and bring to a boil; reduce the heat to medium-low and cook until the potatoes are very tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain, then rice the potatoes or run them through a food mill.
• While the potatoes cook, put the graham crackers in a food processor and pulse several times until they are finely ground. Add the shredded coconut, 2 tablespoons of the sugar and 1/4 teaspoon each of the ginger and cinnamon, and pulse once or twice; add the melted butter and pulse just to combine. Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie dish and bake for about 7 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven and cool.
• In a food processor, combine the eggs with the remaining sugar, ginger and cinnamon, along with the nutmeg, cloves and salt; pulse until well combined. Add the coconut milk and pulse to combine, then add the sweet potatoes and pulse until just smooth.
• Put the pie plate on a baking sheet. Pour the sweet potato mixture into the crust and bake until the mixture is set on top but still quite moist, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool on a rack and serve warm or at room temperature.

PIE CRUST FOR SWEET POTATO PIE

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse several times to combine 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and sugar.
• Add 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces remaining.
• Add 2 tablespoons ice water; pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if needed, add up to 2 more tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time). Do not overmix.
• Turn out onto work surface; knead once or twice, until dough comes together. Flatten dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• Place dough on a floured piece of parchment or waxed paper. Using knuckles, press edges of dough to help prevent cracking when you roll it out.
• Roll dough to a 14-inch round. Using parchment, lift and wrap dough around rolling pin; carefully unroll over a 9-inch pie plate. Gently fit into bottom and along sides of plate, being careful not to stretch or tear dough.
• Using kitchen shears or a paring knife, trim dough to a 1-inch overhang; fold under, and seal to form a rim. Crimp rim with fingertips. Prick bottom of pie dough all over with a fork, to prevent it from puffing up or shrinking in the oven. Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
• If prebaking the crust, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake until crust is firm and golden, about 20 minutes. Cool completely before filling.

SWEET-POTATO PIE WITH GINGERSNAP PECAN CRUST

Steps:

• Make crust:.
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F Butter and flour 10" pie plate, knocking out excess flour.
• Toss together all crust ingredients in a bowl with a fork until crumbs are moistened, then press evenly over bottom and up side of pie plate. Bake crust 6 minutes, then cool on a rack.
• Make filling:.
• Increase oven temperature to 400°F.
• Prick each sweet potato once with a fork. Roast in a foil-lined shallow baking pan until tender, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 375°F Halve potatoes lengthwise and cool.
• While potatoes cool, cook sugar in a dry 8-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, undisturbed, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until sugar melts into a deep golden caramel. Remove from heat. Carefully pour water down side of skillet (mixture will bubble and steam vigorously), then return to heat and simmer, stirring, until hardened caramel is completely dissolved. Remove from heat.
• When potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel, then cut away any eyes or dark spots. Purée potatoes in a food processor until smooth, then add eggs, cinnamon, and salt and blend until smooth. Add milk, caramel, rum, and vanilla, and blend until combined well.
• Pour filling into crust. Bake until filling 2 inches from edge is slightly puffed and center trembles slightly when gently shaken, 40 to 50 minutes (top may crack; filling will continue to set as it cools). If the crust begins to brown too much before the filling is done, crimp a ring of foil or use a pie shield to protect it. Cool pie on rack about 1 hour.
• Serve warm or at room temperature.
• Cooks' notes:.
• • Crust can be made 2 days ahead and cooled completely, then kept, covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature.
• • Sweet potatoes can be baked 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before peeling.

SWEET-POTATO-CUSTARD PIE IN ORANGE CRUST

Steps:

• To make the crust, sift the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Cut in the butter, shortening and orange rind with a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture is crumbly.
• In a small bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of orange juice with the sugar and nutmeg. Using a fork, stir the orange-juice mixture into the flour mixture to form a soft dough, adding additional orange juice if necessary. Do not overmix. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• On a floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to fit a 10-inch pie plate. Press the crust firmly into the plate and trim and crimp, or flute, the edges. Set aside.
• For the filling, beat the eggs, sugar and sweet potatoes together in a medium bowl. Add the milk and light cream and stir until combined. Add the melted butter, orange juice, vanilla extract, lemon extract, salt and nutmeg, if using, and mix well.
• Pour the mixture into the pie shell and bake until a knife inserted into the middle of the custard comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes.

SWEET POTATO PIE WITH GINGERSNAP CRUST

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325°F
• Place cookies in the bowl of the food processor; pulse until fairly fine, yeilding 1 cup crumbs. Transfer to a medium bowl, and stir in 4 tablespoon melted butter. Press mixture into bottom and sides of 9-inch pie tin. Bake until set and slightly darkened, 12-15 minutes. Do not overbake. Set aside.
• Turn oven up to 375°F Fill a small saucepan with water. Add potato; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until potato is very tender, about 12 minutes. Drain.
• In a bowl, combine flour, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves; set aside.
• Pass potato through a food mill or potato ricer into the bowl of an electric mixer. Add sugar, eggs and condensed milk. Mix until combined. Stir in remaining 3 tablespoons butter until combined. Add reserved flour mixture, and combine. Pour filling into cooled crust, and bake until filling is set, 30-35 minutes. Serve at room temperature with whipped cream, if desired.

SWEET POTATO CRUST PIZZA

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and brush with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil.
• Add the sweet potato cubes to a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Pulse until coarsely ground, similar to the texture of coarse salt.
• Add the ground sweet potato, almond flour, Parmesan, salt, garlic powder and egg to a bowl and stir until combined. Transfer the sweet potato mixture to the prepared baking sheet and form into a 12-inch circle about 1/4 inch thick. Brush with remaining tablespoon olive oil. Bake until browned around the edges, 25 to 30 minutes.
• For the toppings: Meanwhile, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Prepare an ice water bath. Blanch the broccoli rabe in the boiling water, then transfer to the ice bath to stop the cooking process. Drain and set aside.
• Set a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon into crumbles, until browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer the sausage to a plate with a slotted spoon.
• Remove the crust from the oven and top with the pizza sauce, broccoli rabe, sausage, goat cheese and pepper flakes. Place back in the oven and cook until the toppings are warmed through and cheese is melted, another 8 to 10 minutes.

SWEET POTATO PIE WITH PECAN CRUST

Steps:

• For crust:.
• In a large bowl, stir together flour, pecans and salt.
• With a pastry blender or fork, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Add oil slowly, continuing to mix with pastry blender or fork.
• Add water 1 tablespoon at a time, using only the amount you need until dough follows blender or fork around bowl.
• Do not overwork dough.
• Form into a ball, cover and let set in refrigerator while preparing filling.
• For the filling:.
• Mix all ingredients except eggs and half & Half and stir well.
• Mix eggs and half & half into this mixture, then slowly fold into sweet potato mixture.
• Assembling the pie:.
• On lightly floured surface, roll crust to fit pie pan.
• Place in pan and flute edges.
• Pour filling into prepared pie shell and bake at 375°F for 35-40 minutes. Cover the edges with foil or a pie rim if they start to get too brown before the pie is set in the middle.

APPLE CHEDDAR PIE WITH SWEET POTATO CRUST

Steps:

• Crust:.
• In a bowl combine all ingredients; mix well.
• Press dough into a large greased pie plate.
• Filling:.
• Marinate apple in wine for about 2 hours approx; drain well.
• Sprinkle apple and cheese over base of pie crust.
• Beat eggs and cream together; add nutmeg.
• Pour into pie crust and bake for 180°C (350°F) for 45 minutes in a preheated oven.
• Leave to stand in the plate for 15 minutes before cutting.

SWEET POTATO CHEESECAKE WITH SPICED COOKIE CRUST

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8-inch springform with nonstick cooking spray. Wrap the springform in 2 layers of aluminum foil. It's best to use the widest type of foil you can find, one that can be uniformly wrapped up the sides of the springform without leaving a gap near the bottom of the pan. Place the springform in a cake pan or hotel pan wider than the springform. Set aside.
• Pulse the cookies, sugar and salt in a food processor until the mixture resembles a fine powder. Slowly add the melted butter and pulse until the mixture starts to clump.
• Transfer the mixture to the prepared springform and gently press the cookie mixture into the bottom of the pan. Use a small measuring cup to evenly tamp down the edges. Bake for 10 minutes and allow to cool slightly while you prepare the filling.
• For the filling: Put the sweet potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a simmer and cook until soft, about 15 minutes. Strain, transfer to a food processor and pulse until the sweet potato becomes a smooth puree. Measure out 1 cup sweet potato puree and set aside. (Reserve any remaining puree for another use.)
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the softened cream cheese. Mix on low until smooth. Add the sugar and mix until just combined. Don't overwhip.
• Whisk together the eggs in a small bowl and add to the stand mixer bowl. Mix until just combined. Add the cream, extracts, speculoos spice and salt. Sift the flour over the mixture and fold until the flour is incorporated and the mixture is smooth. Transfer 1/4 cup of the mixture to a piping bag fitted with a small open tip (Ateco number 3). Set aside.
• To the remaining batter, add the sweet potato puree and orange zest and fold into the batter with a rubber spatula until completely incorporated. Transfer the batter to the springform on top of the crust. Pipe the reserved batter into leaf shapes on top and pull a toothpick through the leaves.
• Transfer the pans to the preheated oven onto the middle oven rack. Carefully pour hot water into the larger cake pan or hotel pan so it comes just halfway up the springform. Bake until the batter just shimmies in the middle of the cheesecake, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Turn off the oven and open the oven door. Allow the cheesecake to cool in the cooling oven, about 2 hours.