Roasted Banana Macadamia Cheesecake

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• 3 ripe unpeeled bananas
• 1 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
• 1/2 cup macadamia nuts, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon dark rum
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 400° and set a rack on the lower-middle level.
• 2 place bananas (unpeeled) on baking sheet.
• 3 roast until they turn black all over, approx 12 minutes.
• 4 remove them to cool and reduce oven to 350°.
• 5 for crust, combine cookie crumbs, nuts and brown sugar in food processor.
• 6 pulse a few times to mix, then add melted butter and blend well.
• 7 press mixture into the bottom only of a 10-inch springform pan.
• 8 prepare filling: beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with mixer until smooth.
• 9 add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• 10 add the roasted banana pulp, rum and vanilla extract; beat until smooth.
• 11 pour the mixture into crust and smooth top.
• 12 place pan on baking sheet.
• 13 bake about 1 hour, or until cheesecake is light golden on top and begins pulling away from pan.
• 14 cool the cheesecake to room temperature on wire rack, then cover and chill overnight before serving.