My Emergency Banana Cream and Butterscotch Cheesecake

This is my My Emergency Banana Cream and Butterscotch Cheesecake. Necessity is, indeed, the mother of invention.

I recently bought a bunch of bananas from a discount supermarket. I ate one and several days later I decided to eat another, only to find that they had ripened to such an extreme extent that they could have worked as extras in the film The Blackness!

My wife and I both despise wasting food (if we really can't make use of something we compost it) so I decided to employ my inventive side to save the day.

I used a combination of ingredients from our pantry plus several others that I bought from Morrisons. (Morrisons is not the supermarket were I bought the bananas from, by the way.)

Ingredients:-

Ripe(!) bananas

Two tubs of Morrisons full fat cream cheese

The rest of a pot of double cream from the fridge

Packet of Butterscotch flavoured Angel Delight

A handful of Pearl Sugar (an Amazon overstock item bought from a local charity shop)

Sufficient milk to soften the mixture

Half a packet of crushed broken biscuits from the pantry

1/4 of a tub of Morrisons spreadable butter

Mix the spreadable butter with the crushed biscuits and place in a combination over in a metal or glass bowl, for 200c for about 10 to 15 minutes. Several times use a wooden spoon to make sure the base is properly mixed together.

Eventually, squash the mix down and then leave to cool.

Whilst it is cooling mash the ripe bananas and when they are fully mashed add the cream cheese, making sure it's all mixed in.

Then add the Angel Delight being careful to make sure all the powder is properly mixed in. At this stage add enough milk to make sure the mixture is not too thick.

Then mix in the Pearl Sugar. 

Place the mix into the fridge and when the base is sufficiently cooled top it with the cheesecake mixture and return this to the fridge and allow it to properly chill.

I did think about adding some Bailey's Irish Cream, or Amarula instead of the milk, but after tasting the mixture part way through I decided against this. You could add the liqueurs, though, if you wished. 

The result? A really delicious Emergency Banana Cream and Butterscotch Cheesecake!

We mentioned buying Amazon overstocks and the like in a previous post on our sister site, That's Christmas. That was how we bought a number of pots of Pearl Sugar, several boxes of breakfast cereals and some new Christmas decorations!

"Why Charity Shops are a Hidden Gem for Amazon Returns and Overstock Deals at Christmastime"

https://thatschristmas.blogspot.com/2024/10/why-charity-shops-are-hidden-gem-for.html

Actually, nearer to Christmas the above recipe with the addition of traditional Christmas spices would make a reasonably light Christmastime dessert treat.

Home frozen bananas make an excellent treat

Home frozen bananas make a nutritious, tasty and cooling treat for those hot summer days. And I offer my thanks to my wife, Anni, for coming up with this idea.

Peel your bananas, place then in a suitable freezer proof container, perhaps employing freezer boxes or freezer bags and then place them in your freezer.

Leave them in your freezer for a suitable period of time (at least several hours) and then taken them out and enjoy them as a very tasty, frozen treat.

Yes, we admit to being inspired by the folks over at Pukpip who produce very tasty chocolate dipped banana lollies. You can read about them, here https://thatsfoodanddrink.blogspot.com/2023/07/pukpip-on-path-to-rapid-growth.html.

However, my wife does have a chocolate allergy so her idea of non-dipped frozen bananas is very helpful to herself and anyone else who has a chocolate allergy. 

Frozen bananas will make an excellent sweet but low sugar snack for any time of the year and I feel they'll make a great treat for Christmas, perhaps especially if served with typical Christmas sweet spices such as ginger, all spice, cinnamon, etc. That is if you can stop people from eating them as soon as they are frozen!) 

(Image courtesy of Guilherme Machado from Pixabay)

This dessert ticks so many boxes!

Everyone wants to cool down on a hot day, but without making unhealthy choices.

Pukpip is nature’s alternative to Ice Cream with their Frozen bananas dipped in yummy chocolate!

It meets every criteria. It's sustainable as it made by employing only wonky fruits. Incidentally, the dark chocolate ones are vegan friendly. So they are 100% literally perfect!

Pukpip’s Real Frozen Banana Dipped in Milk Chocolate unites perfectly ripe frozen banana with a velvety-smooth 32% cocoa milk chocolate. The flavour combination has received recognition in the 2022 Great Taste Awards. 152Kcal. Available in multipacks of 3 at RRP of £3.99

Available at Plant Organic, WholeFoods Market, and lots of independent health shops, too.

Also available to order online: UK's Online Store for Food, Health, Wellbeing, Beauty & Personal Care (wholefoodsbox.co.uk)

Dark Chocolate

Pukpip’s Real Frozen Banana Dipped in Dark Chocolate combines cool, creamy banana with smooth, sweet 52% dark chocolate. A bittersweet combination. 161 Kcal and Vegan Certified. Available in multipacks of 3 at RRP of £3.99

Available at Plant Organic, WholeFoods Market, and lots of independent health shops

Also available to order online: UK's Online Store for Food, Health, Wellbeing, Beauty & Personal Care (wholefoodsbox.co.uk)

 

 

Pukpip on the Path to Rapid Growth Following New Trend for Frozen Snacking

The first six months for Pukpip has proven the consumer demand for permissible yet indulgent frozen fruit snacks. Pukpip's Frozen Bananas Dipped in Chocolate are being snapped up by UK retailers and enjoyed by consumers across the whole country.  

Following the successful launch of Milk Chocolate and Dark Chocolate, Pukpip has now added White Chocolate Dipped Frozen Bananas to the range, CLF and Suma are the first to add the White Chocolate option to their wholesale distribution. 

New Pukpip White Chocolate Dipped Frozen Bananas combine deliciously sweet real frozen banana, with creamy white chocolate with yummy hints of vanilla. A wonderfully delicious pairing. Only 152 calories per frozen banana and a source of fibre and potassium, too.  

The latest retailer to see the potential is Planet Organic, having listed the Dark Chocolate to all their London stores. Pukpip products are also stocked with Vegan Kind and Whole Foods Market, and all three chocolate options are now available to order online with Wholefoods Box. 

“Our consumer research indicated a demand for frozen snacks that combine a balance of whole fruit with a bit of indulgence, but now the products are in bricks and mortar stores the response has been amazing! Our stockists have said that they're flying out of the freezers and consumer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. We're thrilled to be able to add the White Chocolate Dipped Frozen Bananas to the range, which is set to have wide appeal for both kids and grown-ups alike.” says Zara Godfrey, Managing Director at Pukpip's MD. 

According to the BFFF (British Frozen Food Federation) frozen food has seen something of a renaissance over recent years as it proves to be more applicable to modern lifestyles and helps to reduce waste and preserve nutrients. Frozen Foods are now more important than ever, and innovation continues to see what are described as challenger brands leading the way.  

Perfectly tapping into the trend of permissible yet indulgent snacking, Pukpip's frozen bananas provide the balance of wholesome goodness with indulgent frozen snacking and are challenging the ice cream category with whole, real fruit. The wide appeal of a real fruit treat that is only 152 – 161 Kcal, is gluten free, vegan (Dark Chocolate only), and nothing artificial is enabling Pukpip to come to the forefront in the ice cream category and new food innovations. 

Pukpip has also featured in Asda's Trends Book for 2023/2024ii , the book highlights the trend for products with fewer ingredients and reduced processing. With Pukpip products being simply banana and chocolate, consumers know what to expect and can easily add more fruit into their diet via this fun, frozen, fruity snack. 

Consumer awareness of the impact our food choices have on the environment has also helped Pukpip to position itself, by rescuing wonky bananas that would otherwise go to waste and helping them find their true calling as tasty, chocolate-covered treats. The banana peels are also upcycled back into the ecosystem.  

The next step for Pukpip will be the launch of singles this summer. Available to retailers and hospitality for both on-the-go snacking and as a dessert option for restaurants and cafes. Pukpip's singles are ideally placed to fit amongst the handheld ice creams as natures alternative to ice cream, a permissible on-the-go snack. 

Pukpip Real Frozen Bananas are only 152-161 calories each, contain nothing artificial and can be enjoyed as a snack, treat or dessert. Pukpip has been shortlisted in this year's Health & Wellbeing Awards in the Healthy Snacks category. The Milk Chocolate Dipped Bananas have picked up a 2022 Great Taste Award, the Dark Chocolate Dipped Bananas have been Vegan Certified, and the White Chocolate is the latest addition to the range. Pukpip's frozen bananas are available to trade in in multipacks of 3 at an RRP of £3.99, singles coming soon.

To become a stockist or to find out more email hello@pukpip.com or visit www.pukpip.com. Follow @hellopukpip for news and updates. 

You'll go Bananas for Pukpip frozen bananas in chocolate

Challenger brand Pukpip has announced its Real Frozen Bananas Dipped in Chocolate are now stocked in Whole Foods Market, just in time for ice cream season. 

Pukpip is challenging the traditional ice cream category by tapping into the rise of permissible yet indulgent frozen fruit snacks. Breaking the mould for frozen treats, Pukpip's frozen bananas are a real fruit alternative to traditional ice cream.

“We believe that Whole Foods Market is the perfect fit for Pukpip, as we strive to help people eat more fruit in ways that are fun, delicious and convenient, providing indulgent fruit snacks that don't compromise on taste,” explains Zara Godfrey, who is the MD at Pukpip.

The London retailer which specialises in responsibly sourced, high-quality foods has added Pukpip's first two products, Milk and Dark Chocolate Dipped Bananas to the frozen section in all seven of it stores.

To celebrate the launch into Whole Foods Market, Pukpip has invested in an eye-catching window display in the Flagship Kensington High Street store, plus OOH media in July around prime London locations to drive awareness of the product listing.

Zara went on to say: “Nine out of ten of us are looking to add more fruit into our diet, and we want to make it easy, fun, and delicious. The creaminess of a frozen banana combined with the tasty, smooth satisfying chocolate makes for an irresistible treat that consumers will be keen to get their hands on this summer. Real fruit, that's indulgent so consumers can feel good about treating themselves!”

Obviously, Pukpip's bananas are responsibly sourced and freshly frozen at source in the coastal region of Ecuador. Using bananas rejected from export due to minor blemishes on their skin, because they're the wrong shape or size, or simply because there are too many on a bunch; Pukpip rescues these wonky bananas that would otherwise be wasted, helping them find their true calling as tasty, chocolate-covered treats. The banana peels are recycled back into the ecosystem.

Pukpip Real Frozen Bananas are only 152-161 calories each, contain no artificial and are ideally positioned as a snack, treat or dessert. The Milk Chocolate Dipped Bananas have picked up a 2022 Great Taste Award and the Dark Chocolate Dipped Bananas are Vegan Certified. Pukpip's frozen bananas are available to retail in milk chocolate and dark chocolate, in multipacks of 3 at an RRP of £3.99

Want to become a stockist? Need to learn  more? Email hello@pukpip.com or visit www.pukpip.com. Follow @hellopukpip for news and updates.

(This is making me feel hungry for frozen bananas in chocolate!)