Uptown Banana Pudding Cheesecake

Ingredients

• 2 large bananas diced ripe
• 0.3 cup butter melted
• 1 tablespoon rum / brandy / coffee liqueur 
• 24 ounce cream cheese softened
• 3 large eggs 
• 1 cup granulated sugar 
• 1 tablespoon juice of lemon 
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar light
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 1.5 cups vanilla wafers crushed finely
• 0.3 cup walnuts toasted chopped
• 12 servings meringue 
• 12 servings meringue 

Equipment

• bowl
• sauce pan
• oven
• knife
• wire rack
• hand mixer
• springform pan

Directions

1. Combine first 3 ingredients in a small bowl. Press evenly into bottom of a lightly greased 9-inch springform pan.
2. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
3. Combine diced bananas and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a small saucepan. Stir in 2 tablespoons brown sugar.
4. Place over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute or just until sugar has melted. Set aside.
5. Beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer 3 minutes or until smooth. Gradually add 1 cup granulated sugar, beating until blended.
6. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Beat in coffee liqueur and vanilla.
7. Pour into prepared vanilla wafer crust. Spoon tablespoonfuls of banana mixture evenly over top, and swirl gently into cream cheese mixture.
8. Bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes or until center is almost set.
9. Drop spoonfuls of Meringue gently and evenly over hot filling.
10. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes or until Meringue is golden brown.
11. Remove from oven, and gently run a knife around edge of cheesecake in springform pan to loosen. Cool cheesecake completely on a wire rack. Cover loosely, and chill 8 hours. Release and remove sides of pan.