While we were away on vacation we ate out a-plenty. We consumed much delightful chow. Made all the more delightful because I was in vacation mode and didn't have to prep the food, cook the food or clean up after the food. Ha!
Some of the top contenders for best bite of the vacation were the Jerk Chicken Wings, Fried Green Tomato Stack with spicy Shrimp and the Bananas Foster Cheesecake.
I suppose you can tell which bite The Husband thought ranked number one. It was our last night of vacation bliss and we were enjoying a lovely posh dinner with some friends. We stuffed ourselves full and not another morsel would cross our lips. Until when we heard about what the chef had to offer for dessert.
Minds changed. Stomaches were no longer full. Dessert would be served.
The Husband was quite pleased with his choice, the Bananas Foster Cheesecake. It looked fabulous and was extraordinarily large. Like a cheesecake big enough to feed four people, not one, as was intended. (Although The Husband was having no problem handling his cheesecake business) Anywho, I could resist no longer, I just had to try a bite. And, not to sound like a complete twit, I knew I could make it better.
So, this weekend, by request and for The Husband's birthday, I have made my version of the coveted Bananas Foster Cheesecake.
I started with my cheesecake recipe, along with my bananas foster recipe and topped with some chunks of my pecan pralines. What a combination! Cool, creamy delicious cheesecake. Warm, buttery Bananas Foster overflowing each piece. And the sweet crunch of Pecan Praline pieces.
I'll tell you, this cheesecake ranks, baby!
Cares
Here's our recipe:
Bananas Foster Cheesecake
Cheesecake:
Crust:
1 1/4 C crushed graham crackers
2 T butter, melted
Cheesecake:
2 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese, softened
1/2 C granulated sugar
1/2 C heavy cream
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
1/8 C flour
Preheat oven to 350℉. Lightly spray a 8" spring-form pan with cooking spray.
To make crust, crush graham crackers until crumbly in a re-sealable plastic bag. Pour in melted butter and squish grahams and butter together until crumbs are thoroughly coated. Pour crumbs into your spring-form pan and press gently onto the bottom of the pan.
For the cheesecake filling, place your softened cream cheese into a mixing bowl. Add your sugar and mix until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together your heavy cream, eggs, vanilla and flour. Pour the egg mixture into your cream cheese mixture and fold together until thoroughly combined. Pour cheesecake filling over your crust and place into the oven for 60 minutes. After 60 minutes, turn off your oven and allow the cheesecake to set in the oven for an additional two hours. Take the cheesecake out of the oven and allow it to chill in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve.
Bananas Foster:
1 C brown sugar
1/2 C butter (one stick)
1/4 C dark rum
3-4 bananas, cut lengthwise then in half
In a sauce pan over low heat, melt your butter along with your brown sugar. Cook until sugar is dissolved, stirring often. Add your bananas and rum (careful adding rum over an open flame!). Turn up the heat to medium and allow the bananas to soften and brown slight. Let the mixture bubble and thicken, this takes about 5-7 minutes.
Turn off heat and spoon warm Bananas Foster goodness over your cheesecake. Enjoy!
Pecan Pralines:
3 C brown sugar
1 C heavy cream
2 T butter
1/2 t salt
2 C toasted, chopped pecans
1/4 C cubed butter
1 1/2 t vanilla
candy thermometer
wooden spoon
parchment paper
cookie sheet
To start, combine the brown sugar, heavy cream, 2 T of butter and salt in a sauce pan over medium heat. Bring ingredients to a boil while stirring. Cook until the candy thermometer reaches 230℉.
Once you've reached this point, carefully add your chopped pecans and cubed butter. Stir mixture occasionally and allow the temperature of the mixture to reach 236℉ (soft ball stage).
Remove the sauce pan from the heat and stir in your vanilla. Continue to stir your candy mixture until it begins to thicken and the sheen, or glossiness, of the mixture begins to dull (It took my mixture 4 minutes to reach this state).
Now, drop heaping tablespoons of the the candy mixture onto a parchment covered cookie sheet. Let the candy cool until set.
Pralines can be stored in an airtight container for up to one week.
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