Caramelized Banana Cheesecake Recipes

CARAMELIZED BANANA CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
• Place the pecans in the oven and toast them for about 8 minutes. Check frequently because they will burn easily; set aside. Leave oven on.
• Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and cook, stirring frequently, until melted. Add the sliced bananas and continue cooking until the bananas are caramelized and soft enough to be mashed with the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and set aside. If using, stir in the rum.
• Combine the fat-free cream cheese, light cream cheese and 3/4 cup of the sugar in a large bowl and mix until completely blended. Add the sour cream, egg and egg whites and mix well. Add the caramelized banana mixture and again mix well.
• Put the remaining tablespoon of butter, remaining 1/4 cup sugar and toasted pecans in a food processor fitted with a metal blade.
• Grind until the consistency of fine gravel and put the mixture in the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan. Pack it down firmly using the palm of your hand.
• Pour the filling mixture over the crust.
• Place the pan in a large pan and add water to a depth of 2 inches.
• Bake in the preheated oven for about 1-1/2 hours, or until firm to the touch.

CARAMELIZED BANANA CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Place pecans on baking sheet; toast in oven about 8 minutes. Check frequently to avoid burning; set aside. Leave oven on. Melt 1 Tbsp of the butter in non-stick skillet over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar; cook, stirring frequently, until melted, about 6 minutes. Add 2 sliced bananas; cook until bananas are caramelized and soft enough to mash with back of spoon. Remove from heat; set aside. Stir in rum, (if using). Combine cream cheese and 1 cup of sugar in large bowl of electric mixer. Beat until completely blended. Add sour cream, eggs, vanilla and heavy cream, add caramelized banana mixture; beat until incorporated. Put remaining tablespoon of butter, remaining 1/2 cup sugar and toasted pecans in food processor fitted with metal blade. Process until finely ground; press on bottom of ungreased 8-inch springform pan. Pack down firmly using palm of hand. Pour filling mixture over crust. Place pan inside larger pan and put on oven rack. Add water to depth of 2 inches. Bake until firm to touch, about 1-1/2 hours. Remove from oven; let sit on wire rack 1 hour. Refrigerate, covered, at least 3 hours or overnight before serving. For a lower fat version: substitute light butter, 1 8-oz fat-free cream cheese plus 1 8-oz light cream cheese, low fat sour cream, and 1 egg plus 2 egg whites for the three eggs.

BANANA CARAMEL CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Crust : For crust, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and grease the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan and wrap the pan in foil.
• In a food processor, pulse oatmeal cookies with pecans until an even crumble. Add melted butter and pulse to combine. Press into the bottom of prepared springform pan (not up the sides) and bake for 12 minutes. Allow to cool while preparing bananas.
• Banana Layer : For bananas, heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat and add butter and brown sugar, stirring until melted and bubbling. Stir in vanilla and rum and add bananas. Stir just to coat and warm and pour into cooled crust.
• Cheesecake : For cheesecake, beat cream cheese until fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Add brown sugar in 2 additions, beating well after each addition. Beat in butter. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. Stir in vanilla and rum extract and pour cheesecake batter over caramelized banana layer in springform pan.
• Bake cheesecake in a water bath: place springform pan into a baking dish and pour hot tap water around it, to come halfway up the pan. Bake for 30 minutes, then reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F. and bake for another 30 to 40 minutes, until filling puffs just slightly around edges but still moves a little in center when shaken.
• Remove pan from water and allow to cool for 2 hours before refrigerating overnight.
• Caramel Topping : For caramel topping, combine sugar, water and corn syrup or lemon juice in a pan. Bring to a boil without stirring and cook, uncovered, until it turns a rich amber colour. While cooking, occasionally brush down the sides of the pot with a brush dipped in cool water.
• Once sugar has reached desired colour, remove from heat and carefully stir in whipping cream (watch out for the steam and bubbling). Return to medium heat and simmer until reduced by a third, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Chill until thickened but still fluid, about 15 minutes. Pour caramel over cheesecake and chill completely. (This can be done up to 8 hours before serving).
• To serve, run a knife carefully along the inside of the pan to loosen, remove pan and slice with a hot, dry knife.