Fried Cheesecake with Caramel Bananas

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

Store-bought cheesecake gets frozen rock-solid, wrapped in a flour tortilla, and flash-fried until the shell blisters and the inside turns to warm, molten custard. A three-minute brown butter caramel with sliced bananas goes over the top. It's the diner-dessert trick that makes a $3.50 dessert taste like it took all day — the only real skill is keeping the cheesecake cold and the oil hot.

Ingredients

• 1 frozen or refrigerated plain cheesecake (about 30 oz), cut into 6 wedges
• 6 8-inch flour tortillas
• 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tsp water
• 6 cups neutral oil, for frying (canola or peanut)

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch fine sea salt

• 4 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp dark rum or bourbon (optional)
• 3 firm-ripe bananas, sliced 1/2 inch thick on the bias

• 1 cup lightly sweetened whipped cream
• 2 tbsp toasted pecans, chopped (optional)

Instructions

1. Cut the cheesecake into 6 even wedges while very cold, using a long knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts. Place the wedges on a parchment-lined sheet pan, spaced apart, and freeze uncovered for at least 4 hours or overnight. They must be completely solid — this is the whole trick.
2. Warm the tortillas: stack them, wrap in a damp paper towel, and microwave 20-30 seconds so they are pliable and won't crack when folded.
3. Working with one frozen wedge at a time (keep the rest in the freezer), lay a tortilla flat and brush the outer 1 inch with egg wash. Set the wedge just below the center, fold the bottom edge up over it, fold in both sides tightly like a burrito, then roll it up snugly. Press the seam to seal and trim any excess tortilla with scissors so the package is compact.
4. Return each wrapped wedge to the sheet pan, seam side down, and freeze again for at least 45 minutes (up to 2 days, covered). Do not skip this second freeze.
5. Stir the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and pinch of sea salt together in a shallow dish and set near the stove.
6. Make the caramel bananas: melt the butter in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat and cook 2 minutes until it smells nutty. Add the brown sugar and stir until it bubbles and looks glossy, about 1 minute. Whisk in the heavy cream and kosher salt and simmer 1-2 minutes until it coats a spoon. Off heat, stir in the vanilla and rum, add the bananas, and fold gently just until coated. Cover and keep warm; the bananas will soften in the residual heat without turning to mush.
7. Pour 2 1/2 to 3 inches of oil into a heavy 4-quart Dutch oven — no more than halfway up the sides — and heat to 375°F on a deep-fry or instant-read thermometer. Set a wire rack over a sheet pan nearby.
8. Fry the wedges 2 at a time, straight from the freezer, seam side down first. Cook 90 seconds per side, 3 minutes total, until the tortilla is deep golden and blistered. Keep the oil between 360°F and 375°F, letting it recover between batches.
9. Lift each wedge out with a spider or slotted spoon, drain 15 seconds on the rack, then roll immediately in the cinnamon sugar while the surface is still glistening. Repeat with the remaining wedges.
10. Serve within 5 minutes: set a hot wedge on each plate, spoon warm caramel bananas over and around it, add a spoonful of whipped cream and a scatter of pecans. The center should be soft and warm but still hold its shape when you cut in.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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