Banana Pudding Cheesecake

Banana Pudding Cheesecake For the crust: 4 oz vanilla wafers 2 oz butter, melted Using a food processor, pulse the cookies until they turn into a fine crumb. Add the butter and pulse until a dough is formed. Spread the cookies in the bottom of a 8 inch springform pan. Refrigerate the crust while making the batter. For the batter: 2 ripe bananas 17.5 oz cream cheese 1/2 cup sugar 4 eggs 1 tsp vanilla extract 2.5 oz vanilla wafers Preheat the oven to 320ºF. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the cream cheese and the mashed bananas. Beat for 3 minutes. Add in the sugar, beating for another 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition. Add in the vanilla extract. Crumble the cookies with your hands and fold them into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the cake appears set, with the center jiggling only a little. Let the cake cool in the turned-off oven. For the topping: 1 banana 2.5 oz vanilla wafers 1 cup whipping cream 2 tbsp sugar vanilla wafers for garnish Slice the banana and distribute it on one layer on top of the cooled cake. Place the cookies on top of the bananas. Mix the cream and sugar until it forms stiff peaks. Spread it on top of the cake. Top with additional crumbled cookies. Refrigerate overnight (or at least 6 hours) before cutting.