The Cheesecake Factory ® Banana Cream Cheesecake

Prep Time:  10 Minutes
Cooking Time:  1 Hour 45 Minutes (Includes Prep Time)
Serving Size:  8 to 10

Ingredients

20 vanilla sandwich cookies
1/4 cup margarine, melted
24 ounces cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 eggs
3/4 cup mashed bananas (about 2)
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Procedures

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place cookies in a blender; process with on/off pulse until finely crushed. Add margarine; process with pulses until blended. Press crumb mixture onto bottom of 10-inch springform pan; refrigerate.

Beat cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until creamy. Add sugar and cornstarch; beat until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in bananas, whipping cream, and vanilla. Pour cream cheese mixture into prepared crust. Place pan on cookie sheet and bake 15 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 200 degrees F (DO NOT forget to reduce temperature - very important) and continue baking 75 minutes or until center is almost set. Loosen edge of cheesecake; cool completely on wire rack before removing rim of pan. Refrigerate cheesecake, uncovered, 6 hours or overnight.

Allow cheesecake to stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.