Sweet Potato Maple Cheesecake with Basbousa Crust and Salted Pistachio Topping

Ingredients:

• Basbousa Crust
  • 1 cup semolina flour
  • ½ cup fine-grained semolina flour
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup plain yogurt
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
• Sweet Potato & Maple Filling
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes
  • 8 oz Norman's Kosher Cholov Yisroel Cream Cheese, softened
  • 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• Salted Pistachios Topping
  • 1/2 cup shelled pistachios
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Basbousa Crust: In a large bowl, mix together the semolina flour, fine-grained semolina flour, sugar, baking powder, vanilla extract, vegetable oil, and plain yogurt until well combined. Spread the mixture evenly into a 9-inch springform pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool.
3. Sweet Potato & Maple Filling: Cook the sweet potatoes and let cool. Once cooled, remove the skin and mash the sweet potatoes in a bowl. Add the Norman's Kosher Cholov Yisroel Cream Cheese, maple syrup, eggs, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg to the bowl with the sweet potato mash, and mix until well combined.
4. Pour the filling over the Basbousa crust, smooth the top, and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the cheesecake is set.
5. Salted Pistachios Topping: Add pistachios, sugar, and salt to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Sprinkle over the top of the cheesecake.
6. Let the cheesecake cool to room temperature. Once cooled, refrigerate for at least an hour before slicing and serving.