Bananas Foster Cheese Pie

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 to 50 minutes

Makes: 8 servings

Crust:
1 Graham Cracker Crust (9-inch)

Banana Layer:
2 tablespoons butter
2 1/2 cups sliced bananas (1/4-inch)
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Cream Cheese Layer:
2 pkgs. (8 ounces each) cream cheese, room temperature
6 EGGS, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup all-purpose flour

HEAT oven to 350°F.

BANANA LAYER: HEAT butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. ADD bananas; cook, stirring gently, until soft, about 2 minutes. Do not mash. ADD sugar, lemon juice and pie spice. COOK, stirring gently, until mixture thickens, 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.

SPREAD evenly in bottom of crumb crust.

CREAM CHEESE LAYER: COMBINE cream cheese, eggs, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla in mixer bowl. BEAT on high speed until well blended. Reduce speed to low. BEAT IN flour just until blended and no streaks of flour remain.

POUR over banana mixture.

CAREFULLY place pie on rack in center of 350°F oven. BAKE until knife inserted midway between center and edge of pie comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.

COOL completely on wire rack. REFRIGERATE, loosely covered, until firm, several hours or
overnight.

Garnish with sliced bananas.

Insider Info
Room temperature cheese: To avoid lumps in the batter, take cream cheese out of refrigerator ahead of time, allowing it time to come to room temperature. In a pinch you can soften it in the microwave a few seconds, but don't overheat it. Room temperature eggs: Using eggs that aren't refrigerator-cold prevents the fat in the cream cheese from re-hardening and making the batter look curdled or lumpy.

For a smooth uniform batter, scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beaters frequently with a rubber scraper.

When is it done? Like other baked custards, cheesecake should be removed from the oven before the center is completely set. The center will jiggle slightly when dish is gently shaken. Cheesecake will continue to "cook" after it's removed and center will firm up as it cools. For easier slicing, use a thin-bladed knife. Wipe knife with clean damp towel, or rinse knife under warm water, after each cut. Refrigerate any leftover pie promptly.

Nutrition Information Per Serving calories: 618 total fat: 35g saturated fat: 19g polyunsaturated fat: 3g monounsaturated fat: 10g cholesterol: 230mg sodium: 333mg carbohydrates: 68g dietary fiber: 2g protein: 10g

vitamin A: 1,318.9IU vitamin D: 52.7IU folate: 51.2mcg calcium: 88.9mg iron: 1.9mg choline: 121.0mg

Recipe and photograph courtesy of the American Egg Board.