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Chocolate Banana Cheesecake

A delightful dessert combining rich cheesecake, chocolate, and ripe bananas, perfect for special occasions and shareable moments.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Bakery
Calories: 380
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the crust
  • 60 pieces Nilla vanilla wafers Crispy cookies for crust.
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar To sweeten the crust.
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted Binds the crust together.
For the cheesecake filling
  • 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped Adds rich chocolate flavor.
  • 4 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature Base for cheesecake.
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar To sweeten filling.
  • 4 eggs Provides structure and creaminess.
  • 1 cup mashed bananas (approximately 2 medium bananas) Adds fruity flavor.
  • 3/4 teaspoon banana extract Intensifies banana flavor.
  • 1/8 cup unsweetened cocoa powder Enhances chocolate flavor.
For the ganache topping
  • 6 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped For ganache topping.
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream Adds richness to ganache.
Optional toppings
  • whipped cream For serving.
  • additional cookies For serving.

Method
 

Make the crust
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Butter a 9-inch springform pan.
  3. In a food processor, chop the cookies until finely ground.
  4. Mix in the sugar and melted butter until it resembles wet sand.
  5. Press the mixture evenly onto the bottom of the springform pan.
  6. Bake for 5 minutes until set, then cool.
  7. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F (150°C) after cooling.
Make the cheesecake layers
  1. Melt the chopped bittersweet chocolate in a metal bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.
  2. Allow it to cool until lukewarm.
  3. Blend cream cheese and sugar using an electric mixer until smooth.
  4. Add eggs one at a time, mixing just until combined.
  5. Remove half of the cheesecake batter to a separate bowl.
  6. Add mashed bananas and banana extract to the reserved batter and mix briefly.
  7. In the original bowl, mix the remaining batter with melted chocolate and cocoa powder.
Bake the cheesecake
  1. Pour chocolate batter into the prepared crust followed by the banana batter.
  2. Smooth the top with a spatula.
  3. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 150°F (65°C).
Cool the cheesecake
  1. Turn off oven and open the door a few inches, cooling the cheesecake for 30 minutes.
Make the ganache
  1. In a saucepan over low heat, combine whipping cream and chopped chocolate.
  2. Stir until smooth and creamy, then cool slightly before pouring it over the cheesecake.
Refrigerate the cheesecake
  1. Chill overnight for optimal texture and flavor.
  2. Add desired toppings before serving.

Notes

Ensure cream cheese is at room temperature. Avoid overmixing eggs to prevent cracks. Choose ripe bananas for better flavor. For a thicker ganache, reduce cream amount.