Banana Cream Cheesecake

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A tall, custardy cheesecake built on a buttery vanilla wafer crust, with two very ripe mashed bananas folded straight into the batter so the flavor is real fruit rather than extract. It bakes low and slow in a water bath for a crack-free, silky set, then gets a cloud of lightly sweetened whipped cream and a fan of sliced bananas tossed in lemon juice so they stay pale and glossy right up to serving. This is the dessert-course centerpiece worth planning a day ahead.

Ingredients

• 2 cups vanilla wafer cookie crumbs (about 11 oz cookies)
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 7 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

• 32 oz full-fat cream cheese, room temperature (four 8-oz blocks)
• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 1 cup mashed very ripe banana (about 2 large, heavily speckled)
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2/3 cup sour cream, room temperature
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (optional)

• 1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
• 3 tbsp powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 oz cream cheese, room temperature (stabilizer)

• 2 medium bananas, firm-ripe (yellow, no brown spots)
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup crushed vanilla wafer cookies, for garnish

• 1 tbsp softened butter, for the pan

Instructions

1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with a parchment round. Wrap the outside of the pan in two layers of heavy-duty foil, coming all the way up the sides, to seal against water.
2. Pulse the vanilla wafers in a food processor to fine crumbs (or crush in a zip-top bag with a rolling pin). Mix 2 cups crumbs with 3 tablespoons sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and the 7 tablespoons melted butter until the crumbs look like wet sand. Press firmly into the bottom of the pan and about 1 inch up the sides, using a flat-bottomed measuring cup to compact it.
3. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, until set and fragrant. Cool on a rack while you make the filling. Reduce the oven to 325°F.
4. Beat the 32 oz cream cheese in a stand mixer with the paddle (or with a hand mixer) on medium-low for 3 minutes, scraping down twice, until completely smooth with no lumps. Add the 1 1/3 cups sugar, cornstarch, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and beat 2 minutes more on medium-low. Keep the speed low throughout — beaten-in air causes cracks.
5. Mash the 2 very ripe bananas with a fork until nearly smooth (a few small lumps are fine) and stir in 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Add to the cream cheese mixture and beat on low just until blended, about 30 seconds.
6. Add the eggs one at a time, then the extra yolk, mixing on low for about 15 seconds after each and scraping the bowl. Add the sour cream, 1/3 cup heavy cream, vanilla, and nutmeg; mix on low until the batter is uniform and pourable. Do not overmix.
7. Pour the batter over the cooled crust and smooth the top. Rap the pan gently on the counter a few times to release air bubbles, popping any that surface with a toothpick.
8. Set the foil-wrapped pan in a large roasting pan and pour boiling water into the roasting pan to come 1 to 1 1/2 inches up the sides. Bake at 325°F for 70 to 85 minutes, until the outer 2 inches are set and the center 3 inches still jiggle as one soft unit when nudged; an instant-read thermometer 1 inch from the center should read 150°F.
9. Turn the oven off, prop the door open a few inches, and let the cheesecake sit in the cooling oven for 1 hour. Then lift it out of the water bath, remove the foil, and cool on a rack to room temperature, about 2 hours. Run a thin knife around the edge, then refrigerate uncovered for 1 hour before covering loosely; chill at least 8 hours or overnight.
10. Up to 4 hours before serving, make the topping: beat the 2 oz cream cheese with the powdered sugar until smooth, then add the cold 1 1/2 cups heavy cream and vanilla and whip on medium-high to firm peaks, 2 to 3 minutes. Release the springform ring, transfer the cheesecake to a platter, and spread or pipe the cream over the top, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Refrigerate.
11. No more than 30 minutes before serving, slice the firm-ripe bananas 1/4 inch thick, toss gently in a bowl with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon sugar until every cut surface is coated, then lift them out with a fork (leaving excess juice behind) and shingle them over the whipped cream. Scatter the crushed wafers around the edge.
12. Slice with a long thin knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts. Serve cold.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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