Banana toffee cheesecake

This dessert boasts layer upon layer of toffee flavours, including a toffee shortbread crust and a toffee topping.

Credit: Bake With Anna Olson

• serves

  12

• prep

  45 minutes

• cook

  2 hours

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

Crust

• 90 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¼ cup (50 g) packed demerara brown sugar
• ⅔ cup (100 g) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 1½ tbsp (15 g) cornflour (cornstarch)
• ¼ tsp (1 g) salt

Banana Cheesecake

• 90 g unsalted butter
• ¾ cup (150 g) packed demerara sugar
• 3 tsp (15 ml) lemon juice
• ½ tsp (1.5 g) ground cinnamon
• 3 ripe medium-sized bananas, sliced
• 500 g cream cheese, at room temperature and cut into pieces
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• ½ cup (125 ml) whipping cream
• 1½ tbsp (15 g) cornflour (cornstarch)
• 3 tsp (15 ml) vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• ½ cup toffee bits

Toffee topping and décor

• ½ cup (100 g) packed demerara brown sugar
• ½ cup (125 ml) whipping cream
• 60 g unsalted butter
• ¼ cup (60 ml) maple syrup
• 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
• ½ tsp (2.5 g) salt
• 1-2 bananas, sliced
• Granulated sugar, for bananas
• whipped cream and buttercrunch toffee pieces, optional

Chilling time: at least 6 hours, or overnight.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Lightly grease a 23 cm (9 inch) springform pan.
2. For the crust, cream the butter and brown sugar by hand in a mixing bowl. Add the flour, cornflour (cornstarch) and salt and stir until combined but still crumbly. Press this into the bottom of the prepared pan using floured fingers to prevent sticking, if needed. Bake for about 30 minutes, until evenly browned. Cool completely before filling, and meanwhile keep the oven at 150°C (300°F). Wrap the pan in foil and place this in a roasting pan with sides.
3. For the cheesecake, stir the brown sugar and butter together in a sauté pan over medium-high heat until it begins to bubble. Add the lemon juice and cinnamon and simmer, stirring continuously, until the sugar liquefies. Add the bananas and stir to coat and once the sauce returns to a simmer, removing the pan from the heat to cool for a moment.
4. Beat the cream cheese with electric beaters or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until smooth. While mixing, gradually pour in the granulated sugar, scraping the bowl often. Add the whipping cream, corn starch and vanilla and beat in. Add the eggs one at a time on low speed, being sure that each are fully blended in, scraping down the bowl before adding the next. Stir in the toffee bits by hand.
5. Now that the banana mixture has cooled a little (but it does not need to cool to room temperature) purée this until smooth and fold it into the cheesecake batter. Pour the batter over the cooled crust, and fill the roasting pan with boiling water so that it comes up halfway up the sides of the pan (but not higher than the foil) and bake for about 50 minutes, until the cheesecake jiggles just in the centre. Turn off the oven and open the door, leaving the cheesecake to sit 20 minutes and then remove the cheesecake pan to cool on a rack. Within 5 minutes of removing from the oven, run a palette knife around the inside edge of the pan – this loosens the cheesecake to help prevent cracking. Cool the cheesecake completely before chilling for at least 6 hours (or overnight).
6. Run a palette knife around the inside of the chilled cheesecake pan and remove the outer ring. Transfer the cheesecake to a serving plate.
7. For the toffee topping, bring the brown sugar, cream, butter and maple syrup up to a full boil in a medium saucepan over high heat while whisking. Continue to boil for about 3 minutes, or until the toffee reaches 109°C (229°F) on a candy thermometer. Remove the pot from the heat and whisk in the vanilla and salt. If very fluid, set aside the sauce to cool (or transfer it from the hot pot to a heatproof pitcher) until thick but still pourable (if too thick, it can be reheated). Pour this over the cheesecake from the centre and coax the toffee sauce just a little over the edges, using a palette knife if needed. Let this cool for a few minutes and then chill the cheesecake until ready to serve.
8. To decorate the cheesecake, arrange a few slices of banana on a baking tray or other ovenproof dish (an inverted cake pan works well) - do not use baking (parchment) paper. Sprinkle the bananas generously with sugar and use a kitchen torch to melt and caramelise the sugar. Arrange these on top of the cheesecake. For an added touch, pipe a little whipped cream on top, near each banana slice. You can also decorate with buttercrunch toffee pieces. 
9. The cheesecake will keep for 2-3 days, refrigerated (although the caramelised banana slices will brown after a day).

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.