Chocolate Wrapped Banana Cheesecake

Total Time: 1 hr 40 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1 large ripe banana, mashed
• 1 cup unsalted dry roasted peanuts, finely chopped
• 3 large ripe bananas
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 32 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 lb mascarpone cheese
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 24 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 3 medium bananas
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

Recipe

• 1 make the graham cracker crust: preheat oven to 375 degrees f.
• 2 beat butter and sugar in mixing bowl until light and fluffy, using electric mixer at medium-high speed.
• 3 add graham cracker crumbs and mix well.
• 4 add mashed banana and peanuts and mix well.
• 5 press mixture into bottom of 9-inch springform pan.
• 6 bake for 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown and set.
• 7 cool in pan on wire rack.
• 8 make the banana cheesecake filling: reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees f.
• 9 peel bananas and place in food processor bowl.
• 10 cover and process until bananas are pureed.
• 11 remove banana puree and place in bowl.
• 12 stir in lemon juice and set aside.
• 13 beat cream cheese in mixing bowl until smooth, using electric mixer at medium speed.
• 14 add sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
• 15 add mascarpone cheese and beat 1 minute.
• 16 add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• 17 add vanilla and banana puree and blend well.
• 18 pour over crust.
• 19 bake for 35 minutes or until filling still looks jiggly and under-baked.
• 20 cool in pan on wire rack.
• 21 cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate several hours or overnight.
• 22 cheesecake will set and be firm to the touch.
• 23 assemble the cheesecake: cut a piece of parchment paper or food-grade acetate to fit around the side of cheesecake.
• 24 loosen cheesecake using a small knife.
• 25 remove side of springform pan.
• 26 place chocolate in small bowl over a pot of simmering water.
• 27 stir until chocolate is just melted.
• 28 stir until smooth and let cool.
• 29 spread 2/3 of the cooled chocolate evenly on strip of parchment paper.
• 30 allow chocolate to set up partially so that it is no longer wet to the touch, but is still malleable.
• 31 press chocolate-covered strip directly onto side of cheesecake.
• 32 refrigerate cheesecake until chocolate is set.
• 33 peel off parchment paper.
• 34 slice bananas on the diagonal.
• 35 place butter and brown sugar into skillet.
• 36 cook until mixture comes to a boil and is smooth, stirring constantly.
• 37 add bananas and heat until bananas are caramelized.
• 38 remove banana slices from mixture, one at a time, and place on plate.
• 39 arrange bananas on top of cheesecake in concentric circles.
• 40 reheat remaining 1/3 of the chocolate until just melted.
• 41 either with a disposable pastry bag or using a cup with a spout or simply using the tines of a fork, make lines of chocolate all over the top of the cake.
• 42 serve immediately.