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Caramelized Apple Cheesecake with Spiced
Crème Anglaise and Butterscotch Sauce

From Emeril's Kitchens: Favorite
Recipes from Emeril's Restaurants
© Emeril Lagasse 2003, HarperCollins

Serves: 1 (10-inch) cheesecake

4 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1 cup shortbread crumbs (about 5 1/2
ounces of cookies)
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
2 tablespoons water
1 cup peeled, cored, and thinly sliced Granny
Smith apples (about 2 apples)
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Spiced Crème Anglaise, recipe follows

Grease a 10-inch springform pan with 1 teaspoon of the butter.
Combine the crumbs, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, and the melted butter
in the bowl of a food processor and mix on low speed until well blended. Transfer to a greased 10-inch springform pan and press evenly around
the bottom. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Combine the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and the water in a heavy, medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stir-
ring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved. Continue cooking, swirling
the pan occasionally, until the caramel is amber in color, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, stir, and cook over low heat until
the butter is melted and evenly blended. Add the apples and stir to coat
with the caramel. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until the apples are
tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Combine the cream cheese and brown sugar in a large bowl and beat
with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating
well after each addition and scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
Add the lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg and mix well. Fold the
apple-caramel mixture into the batter, and pour into the chilled pan.
Bake, rotating the pan a quarter turn every 30 minutes, until golden
brown and firm around the edges, but still slightly loose in the center,
1 hour and 20 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool for 2 hours. Cover the cheesecake
and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or overnight [preferably overnight].
To serve, spoon a portion of the Spiced Crème Anglaise onto each
serving plate, top with a slice of the cheesecake, and drizzle with the
Butterscotch Sauce.

Spiced Crème Anglaise:

2 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3 large egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar

Prepare an ice bath by filling a large metal bowl with ice and water.
Combine cream, zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat.
In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale and thick, about
2 minutes. Slowly drizzle in the hot cream, whisking constantly. Return the
mixture to the pan and stirring constantly, cook over medium heat until the
sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Place in the ice bath and stir until cool.
Cover with plastic wrap, pressing down against the surface to prevent a
skin from forming. Refrigerate until well chilled, about 2 hours. Serve cold.
Yield: 2 cups

Sweet Potato Pecan Pie

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2004
Food Network: Emeril Live

Serves: 1 pie; 8 servings

1 prepared sweet pie crust, recipe follows
1 pound sweet potatoes, baked until fork tender,
peeled and mashed
1/2 cup pure cane syrup (recommended: Steen's)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
5 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups pecan pieces
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
Pinch salt
Chocolate curls
Sweetened whipped cream, accompaniment
Confectioners' sugar, garnish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie crust to fit a 10-inch pie
pan. Fit inside the pan and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the mashed sweet potatoes, Steen's
syrup, spices, 1 egg, and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla and mix well.
Pour the filling into the unbaked pastry shell. Spread the pecan
pieces evenly over the filling.
In another large bowl, beat the remaining 4 eggs. Add the remaining
1 teaspoon vanilla, granulated sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, and
salt and stir to blend. Pour over the pecans and bake until the filling
is set and the pastry is golden brown, about 1 hour.
Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 1 hour before
serving. Garnish with chocolate curls, whipped cream, and
confectioners' sugar.

Sweet Pie Crust:

8 ounces all-purpose flour, about 1 1/2
cups plus 2 tablespoons
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/4 pound) cold butter, cut
into 1/4-inch pieces
2 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening
3 tablespoons ice water
Sift the flour, sugar, and salt into a large bowl. Using your fingers,
work in the butter and shortening until the mixture resembles coarse
crumbs. Add 2 tablespoons of ice water and work with your fingers
until the water is incorporated and the dough comes together. Add
more water as needed to make a smooth dough, being careful not
to over mix. Form the dough into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic
wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.

Sweet Potato Spice Cake

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2001
Food Network: Emeril Live

Serves: 10 to 12 servings

1 teaspoon unsalted butter at room temperature,
plus 1/2 pound (2 sticks)
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes
(about 2 pounds raw sweet potatoes)
4 large eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice, or
slightly more as needed
1 teaspoon grated orange zest

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 12-cup bundt pan with 1 teaspoon of the butter and set aside.
In a large bowl using an electric mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar,
and sugar. Add the sweet potatoes and beat until light and fluffy. Add
the eggs one at a time, and beat after each addition.
Into a bowl, sift together the flour, soda, powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger,
allspice, and nutmeg. Add to the sweet potato mixture a third at a time.
Fold in the nuts and vanilla. Pour into the prepared pan and bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour to 1 hour
and 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes in
the pan.
While the cake is resting in the pan, in a bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, orange juice, and orange zest. Stir well to combine and make a
tight glaze, adding more orange juice 1/2 teaspoon at a time to achieve
a pourable consistency.
Turn out onto a wire rack. While the cake is still warm, drizzle the
orange-sugar glaze to evenly coat. Cool completely before cutting.

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