Banana Cheesecake with Pecan Graham Cracker Crust #SundaySupper

I love this week’s Sunday Supper theme of utilizing leftovers from Thanksgiving. I love adding pecans to my sweet potatoes but find I have so many leftover. Not a problem for this dessert blogger because Banana Cheesecake with Pecan Graham Cracker Crust is going to rock your world.

I wish I could say that this recipe came together as easily as my turkey comes out of the oven but this was not the case. As it turns out, bananas have quite a bit of liquid in them and that wreaks havoc in a cheesecake.

The first round was very jiggly after baking. Not good. I increased my egg count on the second round and the edges were firmer but the center was still, too, jiggly. Finally, upon the suggestion of my very talented pastry chef friend, Sarah, the addition of cornstarch turned my third attempt into a home run.

Desserts Required - Banana Cheesecake with Pecan Graham Cracker Crust

This cheesecake was from round #2. Still a tad jiggly but this did not bother Samuel!

As a matter of fact, I shared all three rounds with a lot of people. My friend Jon said, “I have not stopped thinking about your dessert all day and it probably was my favorite…it was absolutely amazing…10 thumbs up!!!” It doesn’t get much better than that!

Watch it:

Banana Cheesecake with Pecan Graham Cracker Crust

Recipe Type: Dessert, Cheesecake

Author: Betsy Cohen

Prep time: 35 mins

Cook time: 1 hour 25 mins

Total time: 2 hours

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

Pecan graham cracker crust:
5.5 ounces graham crackers
1 cup toasted pecans
3 tablespoons sugar
5½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Chocolate layer:
6 ounces chocolate chips
6 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Banana filling:
4 ripe bananas, divided
4 - 8 ounce packages cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1¼ cups sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping:
3 tablespoons chocolate chips
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
24 pecan halves, toasted

Instructions

For the pecan graham cracker crust:
Preheat the oven to 325°. Butter the bottom and sides of a 10" springform, line the bottom with parchment paper and set aside.
Place the graham crackers, pecans and sugar into a food processor. Process until you have fine crumbs. Add the melted butter and pulse on/off until the butter is well blended.
Transfer the crumbs to the prepared pan. Press the crust evenly onto the bottom of the pan. Wrap the pan in aluminum foil and bake at 325° for 10 minutes.
Once the crust comes out of the oven, turn the temperature down to 300°.
For the chocolate layer:
Combine the chocolate and whipped cream. Microwave just until the chocolate is partially melted. Stir until smooth.
Pour the chocolate over the crust and spread evenly using the back of a spoon.
Refrigerate until the filling is put together.
For the banana filling:
Mash 2 bananas in a bowl and set aside. There should still be small banana pieces visible.
Combine the cornstarch with the sugar. Place the cream cheese and sugar/cornstarch into a large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes, scraping the bowl down as needed.
Add the eggs, 1 at a time. Break the other two bananas into 4 or 5 pieces and add them to the bowl. Blend until the big pieces have broken down. Add the vanilla and the mashed banana.
Transfer the filling to the springform and smooth the top.
Bake at 300° for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
Refrigerate until cold, several hours or overnight.
For the topping:
Combine the chocolate and whipped cream. Microwave just until the chocolate is partially melted. Stir until smooth. Set aside.
Release the latch for the springform pan. If necessary, use a small metal spatula to go around the edge of the pan. Remove the side piece of the springform pan. Use a large metal spatula to help guide the cheesecake off of the bottom of the pan and onto a serving plate. The parchment paper will stay with the cheesecake. This step may be eliminated and the bottom of the springform pan may be placed directly onto a serving plate.
Dip the pecans halfway into the chocolate and place around the edge of the cheesecake.
Transfer the remaining chocolate to a quart size freezer bag and seal. Cut a small opening from one of the bottom corners of the bag. Squeeze the chocolate over the top of the cake.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Please be sure to check out the other delicious options so that you are not wasting any of the ingredients bought for Thanksgiving. Many thanks to Jennie of The Messy Baker for hosting today’s Sunday Supper event.

Breakfast:

Cranberry Sauce Muffins by The Foodie Army Wife
Leftover Stuffing Breakfast Strata by Ruffles & Truffles
Sweet Potato Casserole Muffins by Magnolia Days
Turkey & Chorizo Breakfast Hash by Brunch with Joy
Italian Mashed Potato Pancakes by The Weekend Gourmet
Cranberry Sauce’d Corn Bread Muffins by Rhubarb and Honey

Main Dish:

Leftover Pie by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
Thanksgiving Leftover Waffles by Foxes Love Lemons
Stuffing Hash by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
Turkey Pizza by Meal Diva
Turkey & Caramelized Onion Risotto by kimchi MOM
Turkey with Creamy Mushroom Marsala Sauce by Casa de Crews
Moroccan Turkey Stew by What Smells So Good?
Peruvian Cilantro & Turkey Soup by The Little Ferraro Kitchen
Turkey & Butternut Squash Stew by Cooking Chat
Turkey Kreplach Soup by Panning the Globe
Turkey & Stuffing Crepes by Peaceful Cooking
Cranberry Apple Pecan Chicken Salad by NeighborFood
Herbed Turkey over Cornbread Waffles with Cranberry Sauce by girlichef
Creamy Peanut Gochujang Pasta by Wallflour Girl
Cranberry Sweet Potato Soup by Take A Bite Out of Boca
Turkey Enchilada Pasta Bake by Curious Cuisiniere
Turkey Orzo Risotto by Family Foodie
Turkey Croquettes by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

Side Dishes:

Cheesy Mashed Potato Croquettes by Noshing with the Nolands
Whipped Carrots with Sriracha Butter by Healthy Delicious
Cranberry-Balsamic Glazed Cauliflower Wings by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
Parmesan Mashed Cauliflower and Potatoes by Momma’s Meals
Cheesy Jalapeño Potato Cakes by Bobbi’s Cozy Kitchen

Sandwiches:

Cranberry & Turkey Sandwich by The Redhead Baker
Monte Cristo Sandwich by Nik Snacks
Hot Brown Turkey Sandwiches by The Life and Loves of Grumpy’s Honeybunch
Sprouted Grain Turkey, Cranberry & Brie Panini by Amee’s Savory Dish
Turkey Cranberry Flatbread by Peanut Butter and Peppers

Condiments & Sauces:

Cranberry Vinaigrette by Nosh My Way
Leftover White Wine Syrup by Food Lust People Love
DIY Yellow Mustard by The Texan New Yorker

Dessert:

Banana Cheesecake with Pecan Graham Cracker Crust by Desserts Required
Cranberry Cream Cheese Bars by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Gluten-Free Lemon Cake by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Spiced Cranberry Sauce Buckle by The Wimpy Vegetarian

Cocktails & Drinks:

Cranberry Orange Crush by The Messy Baker
Cranberry Bellini by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures

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