Banana Spiced Cheesecake

Last fall I had a strong hankerin' for cheesecake. Partly because I wanted to eat it, but mainly I wanted to make it. I also had a ton of bananas that needed to be used somehow, STAT.

Put your hands together, my friend.

This thick banana cheesecake has a smooth texture — and is VERY filling! It's topped with a thin layer of thick chocolate ganache and cinnamon whipped cream ... guys, it's so tasty!

I'm not going to lie, though. It's in-depth. Don't let that dissuade you. It's WORTH IT!

Ingredients:
For the Crust:
1-¾ cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
3 Tablespoons Light Brown Sugar
½ teaspoons Cinnamon
½ teaspoons Salt
4 Tablespoons Melted Butter

For the Filling:
3 whole Ripe Bananas (overly Ripe Is Best)
24 ounces, weight Room Temp Cream Cheese (light Works OK, But Full Fat Is Best)
3 whole Large Eggs
1 whole Large Egg Yolk
¼ cups Sour Cream
1-½ cup Sugar
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
¼ teaspoons Salt
1 teaspoon Vanilla

For the Ganache:
½ cups Heavy Cream
½ Tablespoons Light Corn Syrup
¼ teaspoons Cinnamon
1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

For the Whipped Cream:
½ cups Heavy Cream, Very Cold
¼ teaspoons Cinnamon
1-½ Tablespoon Sugar
Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9″ springform pan with cooking spray.

Crust:
Combine dry ingredients with the melted butter and combine with fork until the mixture is moist throughout. When the mixture is crumbly but will hold together when squeezed, it’s ready to be pressed into the bottom and halfway up the sides of the pan. Bake the crust for 8 minutes, then let cool completely.

Filling:
Place a roasting/baking dish LARGER than the springform pan in the oven and fill halfway with water. While you’re preparing the filling, the water will heat to the perfect temperature. Wrap the bottom of your springform pan with a double layer of aluminum foil to safeguard from water getting in the pan.

In a bowl, mash the bananas and set aside (note-the texture is better the more you mash. This is why overripe bananas work best).

Add the cream cheese to a separate bowl and beat until smooth. Dump in the bananas and mix until incorporated. Add the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, mixing thoroughly before adding the next. Add the sour cream and mix until combined. Finally, add the sugar, spices and vanilla and beat until well mixed.

Pour the filling into the crust. Place the pan in the oven, inside the roasting pan filled with water and bake until the cheesecake has a light golden color and the center is set (but can still have a slight jiggle). This will take anywhere from 80-90 minutes.

Cool the cheesecake to room temperature in the pan, then cover and place in the refrigerator overnight (or at least four hours).

Ganache:
When the cheesecake is cooled completely, heat the heavy cream and corn syrup over medium low heat. Add the cinnamon and pull off the heat. Add the chocolate chips and mix. When the mixture is slightly cooled, remove the sides of the springform pan and add the ganache to the top to the edges of the cake. Since the cheesecake will be cold, smooth the ganache quickly to prevent it from hardening up. It looks lovely when the ganache drips over the sides.

Whipped Cream:
Whip the cream, cinnamon and sugar in a bowl for around four minutes, or until they form stiff peaks. Add to a decorating bag fitted with a tip and decorate as you’d like. Or just lop some on the top and call it good. You worked hard on this!
Eat!