Banana Pudding Cheesecake

For the crust:
4 oz vanilla wafers
2 oz butter, melted

-Using a food processor, pulse the cookies until they turn into a fine crumb. Add the butter and pulse until a dough is formed.
- Spread the cookies in the bottom of a 8 inch springform pan. Refrigerate the crust while making the batter.

For the batter:
2 ripe bananas
17.5 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2.5 oz vanilla wafers

-Preheat the oven to 320ºF.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine the cream cheese and the mashed bananas. Beat for 3 minutes.
- Add in the sugar, beating for another 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition. Add in the vanilla extract.
-Crumble the cookies with your hands and fold them into the batter.
-Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the cake appears set, with the center jiggling only a little. Let the cake cool in the turned-off oven.

For the topping:
1 banana
2.5 oz vanilla wafers
1 cup whipping cream
2 tbsp sugar
vanilla wafers for garnish

- Slice the banana and distribute it on one layer on top of the cooled cake. Place the cookies on top of the bananas.
- Mix the cream and sugar until it forms stiff peaks. Spread it on top of the cake.
-Top with additional crumbled cookies. Refrigerate overnight (or at least 6 hours) before cutting.