Chocolate Banana Cheesecake

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup finely crushed graham cracker crumbs
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
4 ounces dark or bittersweet chocolate (not chips)
5 tablespoons cream
1 tablespoon dark cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 8-ounce blocks (2 pounds) of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, at room temperature
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/8 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup mashed banana
A few drops of yellow food coloring (optional)
1/4 teaspoon banana flavoring (optional)    

Directions  

Heat oven to 350 F.

In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Stir thoroughly.

Lightly grease the bottom of a 9 1/2 –inch springform pan.
Press graham cracker mixture firmly and evenly onto the bottom all the way to the edges.
Bake for 7-8 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack. Lightly butter the inside edge of the cake pan, being careful not to touch the crust.
Turn the oven up to 500 F.
Finely chop the chocolate and place it in a small bowl.
In a small saucepan, heat the cream until it begins to boil. Immediately pour over the chopped chocolate and let it sit for one minute. Stir gently until all of the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in dark cocoa powder and vanilla and set aside.    
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese on medium low speed until soft and fluffy, scraping the bowl often. Add the sugar and beat thoroughly – at least 2 minutes.  
Add the flour and sour cream and beat until combined.
With the mixer set to low, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Stop mixing after the last egg is incorporated. Over beating can cause cracks in the surface of your cheesecake.  
Remove 2 cups of batter and place it in a small bowl. Gently fold in the chocolate mixture and spread evenly in the pan, covering the graham cracker crust completely.  
Combine the lemon juice and mashed banana (add the food coloring and flavoring if you’re using it) and fold into the remaining batter. Pour over the chocolate mixture in the pan, spreading with a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon, being careful to keep the two layers from mixing together.  
Place the springform pan on a baking sheet and place in the center rack of the oven.
Bake for 10 minutes. Without opening the oven door, turn the heat down to 200 F. Bake for approximately one hour. (At this point, the center will be a little wobbly and the outside edge will appear firm.) Turn the oven off and open the oven door slightly. Let the cheesecake cool down slowly in the oven for 1 hour.
Place the cheesecake on a wire rack. Run a thin knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it, but don’t remove the pan sides. (This will help prevent cracking as it cools.) Cool completely.

Make cheesecake topping (recipe below). Cut 2-inch wide strips of parchment and slide them between the cake and the sides of the pan. Spread the top of the cheesecake with dark chocolate, heavy cream mixture, ( as stated recipe below ), bringing it right up to the parchment. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4-5 hours; overnight is best.
Release the sides of the springform pan, run a long knife between the bottom of the pan and the cake to release it, and slide onto a serving plate.

Decorate with whipped cream and slices of banana.

Cheese Cake Topping Ingredients

4 ounces good quality dark chocolate
6 tablespoons heavy cream

Finely chop the chocolate and place it in a small bowl.

In a small saucepan, heat the cream until it begins to boil. Immediately pour over the chopped chocolate and let it sit for 1 minute. Stir gently until all of the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.

Enjoy!