Description
This No Bake Salted Caramel Cheesecake with Caramelized Bananas is a luscious dessert combining a buttery almond crust with a creamy salted caramel cheesecake filling. Topped with perfectly caramelized bananas and drizzled with extra salted caramel sauce, this cheesecake is an irresistible treat that requires minimal baking and is sure to impress.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust
- 2 cups Salted Caramel Blue Diamond Almonds
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
- Dash of salt
Cheesecake Filling
- 16 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 10-oz jar salted caramel sauce (use good quality)
- 3/4 cup heavy cream, cold
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Caramelized Bananas
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 ripe bananas, cut into 1 or 2 inch pieces
For Serving
- Salted caramel sauce for drizzling
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the crust.
- Grind Almonds: Add the salted caramel almonds to a food processor and pulse until finely ground but not powdered.
- Combine Crust Ingredients: Add sugar and melted butter to the ground almonds and pulse once or twice to combine. Avoid over-processing to prevent almond butter.
- Press Crust: Press the almond mixture firmly into a 9-inch springform pan, making sure to press at least 1 inch up the sides. Use a measuring cup to evenly press the mixture.
- Bake Crust: Bake the crust at 350°F for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately press the crust down again to flatten it after it puffs up. Place the crust in the freezer to cool.
- Prepare Cheesecake Filling: In a large bowl, beat the room temperature cream cheese until smooth. Add the jar of salted caramel sauce and beat well to combine thoroughly.
- Whip Cream: In a separate bowl, whip the cold heavy cream until soft peaks form, usually 2-3 minutes. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract and continue to whip to incorporate.
- Fold Cream into Cream Cheese: Gently stir about one-third of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture with a rubber spatula, then carefully fold in the remaining whipped cream until fully incorporated without overmixing.
- Assemble Cheesecake: Scrape the cheesecake filling into the cooled crust and smooth the top evenly. Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours until the filling is chilled and set.
- Caramelize Bananas: In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, melt butter and add brown sugar. Stir continuously to prevent scorching until melted and combined.
- Cook Bananas: Add banana pieces and cook for 1-2 minutes, allowing edges to caramelize without becoming too soft. Gently turn to caramelize all sides. Remove from heat and transfer to a plate to cool, preferably speeding up cooling in the freezer.
- Garnish and Serve: Once the cheesecake and caramelized bananas are chilled, arrange the bananas on top of the cheesecake. Drizzle additional salted caramel sauce over the top. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Use good quality salted caramel sauce for the best flavor.
- Do not over-process the almonds when making the crust to avoid turning it into almond butter.
- Pressing the crust again immediately after baking prevents puffing and ensures a firm base.
- Ensure the cream cheese is at room temperature for smooth mixing.
- Be careful not to overcook the bananas; they should caramelize but remain slightly firm.
- Chill the cheesecake for at least 2-3 hours to allow it to set properly before adding toppings.
