Early in her law career, Fordham Law’s Norrinda Brown made an unusual pivot—into baking.
“I wanted to do something creative,” said the associate dean for experiential education, director of clinical programs, and associate professor of law. In 2004, she and her mother opened Brown Betty Dessert Boutique in Philadelphia, named for Brown’s grandmother. A head baker managed the day-to-day operations, using recipes from Brown’s mother and Betty. At the end of the workday—Brown worked at a law firm and her mother was a teacher—the two would head to the bakery.
The venture was a sweet success: their cakes were on their way to being sold in Walmart through a deal with Patti LaBelle. But after years of juggling a career, a small business, and by the end, a young family, Brown had to decide which path to pursue.
“It made me figure out what I was missing in the law and find it.”
She left the law firm—and the bakery—and spent the next decade working in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Justice Department before becoming a law professor.
The bakery closed in 2016 but lives on through its cookbook, which contains Brown’s favorite Thanksgiving recipe: a sweet potato cheesecake.
“I prefer for my mom to make it,” she said with a laugh. “You would not believe how hard it is to get all of that right.”
It was the bakery’s most popular Thanksgiving dessert, too, so it’s clearly worth the effort.
Sweet Potato Cheesecake from The Brown Betty Cookbook
Serves: 12 to 14 people Active time: 45 minutes Total time: 2 hours and 25 minutes, plus at least 2 hours of refrigeration time
Ingredients
Mashed sweet potatoes
1 pound sweet potatoes or yams, scrubbed
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Graham cracker crust
Vegetable shortening
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons superfine sugar
Cheesecake filling
Three 8-ounce packages Philadelphia® cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
4 large eggs, lightly beaten, at room temperature
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Sour cream topping
1 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon superfine sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Method
To make the mashed sweet potatoes, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place the potatoes on the baking sheet and rub the skins with oil.
Roast the potatoes until tender when pierced with a fork, 50 to 55 minutes. Set the potatoes aside until they are cool enough to handle. Using a knife, remove the skin of the sweet potatoes and place the flesh of the potatoes in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the potato flesh on medium-high speed to remove the pulp, about 1 minute. Push the flesh through a fine-mesh strainer over a medium bowl. Set aside.
Increase the oven temperature to 440°F. Place a baking sheet on the bottom rack of the oven to catch any drippings. Lightly coat the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with shortening.
To prepare the crust, in a small bowl, use your fingers to mix the crumbs, butter, and superfine sugar until blended.
Firmly press the crumb mixture onto the bottom and 2 inches up the sides of the prepared pan. Refrigerate the crust while preparing the filling.
To prepare the filling, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the brown sugar and beat on low speed until smooth. Scrape the bowl. Add the mashed sweet potatoes and beat on medium speed until blended. Add the eggs, flour, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg and beat until well blended.
Pour the batter into the crust and bake 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 250°F and bake until the filling is set, 80 to 85 minutes longer.
Meanwhile, prepare the sour cream topping. In a small bowl, mix the sour cream, superfine sugar, and vanilla to blend. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Remove the cake from the oven. Immediately spread the sour cream topping quickly and evenly over the cake. Return the cake to the oven. Increase the oven temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 5 to 7 minutes; do not let the topping brown.
Remove the cake from the oven and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. Remove the pan sides from the cake. Use a large cake spatula to remove the cake from the bottom of the springform pan and transfer it to a cake plate. Refrigerate the cake until serving.
