Make smoked sweet potato cheesecake and Jamaican rum bread pudding this holiday season

The holidays are here and what better way to celebrate than to indulge in a few sweet treats?

To satisfy your sweet tooth this holiday season, Food Network’s Chef David Rose has the perfect recipes for you.

Rose, who is out with a new cookbook titled, “EGGin’,” shared two delicious dessert recipes from the book: Smoked sweet potato cheesecake and Jamaican rum-raisin bread pudding.

Rose said the smoked sweet potato cheesecake is one you’ll want to make this holiday season because of how “the natural sweetness from the sweet potatoes” blend well with the cream cheese and gingersnap crust. And the Jamaican rum-raisin bread pudding is packed with flavor.

See the recipes below!

Smoked sweet potato cheesecake

Makes 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes

24 ounces cream cheese, at room

temperature

¼ cup heavy cream

Seeds from 2 vanilla beans

3 large eggs

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

8 ounces gingersnap cookies (about 28 to 30 cookies), finely blended in a food processor

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 cup pecan wood chips, soaked for 1 hour in 2 cups water

Ice cream or fresh whipped cream, for serving (optional)

Directions

Prepare the EGG to cook indirect at 375 degrees. To make the cheesecake, wet the skin of the sweet potatoes and wrap them individually in aluminum foil. Place the sweet potatoes on the EGG cooking grid and roast for 45 to 60 minutes, until fork tender. Remove the sweet potatoes from the EGG, and remove the foil, cooling them slightly before peeling off the skin. Mash the sweet potatoes in a medium bowl until smooth, then transfer to the bowl of a stand mixer.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment, whip the sweet potatoes until smooth and any lumps are gone. Add the cream cheese, heavy cream, vanilla seeds, eggs, and condensed milk. Whip for 2 to 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Set aside.

To make the crust, in a medium bowl, combine the cookie crumbs and butter. Stir together until the texture resembles wet sand. Firmly press into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan or on all sides of a tart pan with a removable bottom. Pour the cheesecake mixture on top of the crust; no need to blind-bake the crust first.

Prepare the EGG to cook indirect with a drip pan at 350 degrees. Drain the wood chips and place them in the EGG over the hot coals. Smoke the cheesecake for 45 to 60 minutes, until the sides are set and a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the EGG and let cool. Place the cheesecake in the refrigerator overnight, or at least 3 hours. To serve, gently run a knife around the edge of the cheesecake to loosen it before removing the sides of the springform pan. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.

Jamaican Rum-Raisin Bread Pudding

Makes 8 to 10 servings

Ingredients

2 cups spiced Jamaican dark rum

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup golden raisins

10 cups white bread, with crust

(about 14 slices), cut in 1-inch cubes

8 large eggs

1 ½ cups heavy cream

1 ½ cups packed dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Seeds from 1 vanilla bean

Pinch of kosher salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Directions

Prepare the EGG to cook direct at 400 degrees. Place a medium cast-iron saucepot on the cooking grid of the EGG, add the rum and sugar. Bring to a boil, then add the raisins and continue cooking for about 8 minutes, or until slightly syrupy. Remove the saucepot from the EGG, and reserve half of the raisins from the glaze and place in a small bowl.

Set the saucepot and the bowl aside.

Place the bread in a large bowl. In a separate medium bowl, add the eggs, heavy cream, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla seeds, and salt and whisk until well incorporated. Add the custard mixture and reserved drained raisins to the bread. Use a rubber spatula to fold and incorporate everything together, until all of the bread cubes are moistened.

Prepare the EGG to cook indirect with a drip pan at 400 degrees. Rub the butter on the bottom and sides of a 12-inch cast-iron pan and pour in the bread and custard mixture. Use a spatula to flatten the surface. Let the bread pudding sit for 20 to 30 minutes, to allow the bread to completely absorb the custard. Place the pan in the EGG and bake the bread pudding for 35 to 40 minutes, until the edges and top are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

Reheat the reserved rum-raisin glaze and pour over the warm bread pudding. Allow bread pudding to cool for 12 to 15 minutes before slicing into it. Serve with ice cream.