Sweet Potato Cake with Pecan Maple Caramel, Spiced Crumble, and Cranberry-Crème Fraîche Swirl Ice Cream

METHOD:

For the Sweet Potato Cake:
Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Whisk the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda in a medium sized bowl to combine. Add the oil, eggs, and sweet potato purée. Whisk to combine and pour onto a quarter sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes until golden.

For the Cranberry Ice Cream:
Combine the cranberries, water, sugar, glucose powder, glucose syrup, and sorbet stabilizer in a pot. Bring to a boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Pour into a blender and blend until smooth. Strain and cool over an ice bath. Pocess in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

For the Crème Fraîche Ice Cream:
Combine the milk, sugar, glucose powder, and ice cream stabilizer in a pot and bring to a boil. Temper in the egg yolks and salt. Remove from the heat and add in the crème fraîche. Strain and cool over an ice bath, then process in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

For the Pecan Maple Caramel:
Combine the sugar and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Continue to cook until it reaches a dark caramel. Remove from the heat and whisk in the maple syrup and heavy cream. Stir in the pecans and salt and cool slightly before serving.

For the Spiced Crumble:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Combine the flour, brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and salt in a medium sized bowl. Cut in pieces of butter and mix with your fingertips until only small pieces of butter remain. Pour onto a half sheet tray lined with parchment paper and bake until golden, stirring often. Cook before serving.

To Assemble and Serve:
Use the pecan maple caramel to sauce the plate. Place the warm cake on the plate, and top with more caramel sauce. Spoon some spice crumble near the cake and quenelle a swirl of the Crème Fraîche and Cranberry Ice Creams on top.