Ingredients
Cooking spray
11 graham crackers, finely crushed (about 1 1/2 c.)
1/4 cup (55 g.) packed light brown sugar
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
4 (8-oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 cups (400 g.) granulated sugar, divided
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 (15-oz.) can sweet potato puree
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
Equipment Needed
A kitchen torch
How to:
Arrange a rack in center of oven; preheat to 300°. Grease a 13″ x 9″ baking pan with cooking spray. Line with parchment, leaving a 1″ overhang on all sides.
In a medium bowl, mix cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and salt. Add butter and stir until combined.
Transfer crumb mixture to prepared pan, pressing into bottom and up sides of pan with the bottom of a measuring cup or glass.
In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer on low speed (or in the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), beat cream cheese and 1 1/2 c. (300 g.) granulated sugar, scraping down sides of bowl, until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating to blend after each addition (avoid overmixing eggs to prevent cheesecake from cracking). Beat in vanilla.
Transfer 2 c. plus 2 Tbsp. (500 g.) cream cheese mixture to a small bowl, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use. Add sweet potato puree to remaining cream cheese mixture in large bowl. Add cinnamon and nutmeg and mix to combine.
Spoon potato mixture over crust. Using an offset spatula, smooth top. Freeze until cold, about 45 minutes.
Carefully spoon reserved cream cheese mixture over; smooth second layer with an offset spatula.
Bake bars until just set, 40 to 50 minutes. Turn off oven, prop open door, and let bars cool, about 2 hours. Tightly cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until bars are chilled and firm, at least 6 hours and up to overnight.
Using parchment overhang, lift out bars and transfer to a cutting board. Fill a tall container with hot water deep enough to cover the blade of your knife, then dip knife into hot water. Wipe on a clean towel before each cut. Slice bars into squares.
Sprinkle tops of each square with remaining 1/2 c. (100 g.) granulated sugar. Using kitchen torch, torch tops until it turns a deep amber color.