3 medium-size ripe bananas
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup mascarpone cheese
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Peanut-Graham Crust
1 cup milk chocolate morsels
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
Caramelized Bananas
Mash bananas with a fork; stir in lemon juice until blended.
Beat cream cheese and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add mascarpone, beating until smooth. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in banana and vanilla. Pour in Peanut-Graham Crust.
Bake at 325 for 1 hour (center will be slightly soft). Remove from oven; run a knife around edge to loosen sides. Cool on a wire rack; cover and chill 8 hours.
Microwave chocolate and butter in a 1-quart microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 60 seconds; stir until smooth. Let stand 30 minutes.
Remove sides of springform pan. Spread three-fourths of melted chocolate around sides of cheese cake. Arrange Caramelized Bananas on top; drizzle with remaining chocolate.
Peanut-Graham Crust
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup finely chopped dry-roasted peanuts
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
Stir together all ingredients; press onto bottom and 1 inch up sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
Bake at 375 for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
Caramelized Bananas
4 medium-size bananas
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine
Cut bananas diagonally into 1/3-inch-thick slices.
Cook brown sugar and butter over high heat in a small skillet, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in banana. Cool.
