Captain Frank’s dessert pick for Christmas is a playful cheesecake that will go down a treat with both adults and kids – he’s never the one to make it… but he sure does love to eat it!
PEANUT BUTTER & POPCORN CHEESECAKE
“Include peanut butter and you have a winner dish!” – Captain Frank
Serves: 12 Prep: 45 mins Cooking Time: 10 mins
1¼ cups chocolate biscuit crumbs
80g butter melted
500g cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla essence
3 tsp gelatine dissolved in ¼ cup boiling water
¾ cup peanut butter
1 cup thickened cream, softly whipped
1 cup sugar
1 cup thickened cream, extra
¼ cup popping corn, popped as per packet instructions
Combine biscuit crumbs and butter then press into the base of a greased and lined 22cm round springform pan. Chill.
Beat the cream cheese, caster sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth. Stir in gelatine and peanut butter, then fold through cream. Pour mixture over prepared base. Chill for 3 hours or until set.
Heat sugar in a saucepan over a medium-high heat, without stirring, for 2 minutes or until sugar begins to melt. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until golden. Remove from heat and carefully add extra cream. Stir until smooth. Allow to cool.
Top cheesecake with popcorn and drizzle over sauce. Serve immediately.
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Do you have a dessert idea that you would love to share? We would love to see it as Captain Frank and the team enjoy tasty food both on land and on water! Share your dessert selections on Instagram.
With winter upon us, here are Captain Frank’s favourite winter warming recipes – hearty soups that are simple to make and will leave you wanting more.
PUMPKIN AND CHORIZO SOUP
“You just can’t have pumpkin soup without the addition of chorizo!! And lots of it!!” – Captain Frank
Serves: 4 Prep: 20 mins Cooking Time: 40 mins
1 tbsp olive oil
2 chorizos, finely diced
2 small brown onions, coarsely diced
900g Kent pumpkin, skin removed, seeded, cut into 2.5cm chunks
1 medium carrot, peeled, coarsely diced
3 gloves garlic, chopped
1 dried bay leaf
¾ tsp smoked paprika
¾ tsp ground cumin seeds
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
6 cups water
¼ cup thickened cream
2 tbsp pepitas (pumpkin seeds), toasted
Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and chorizo and cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes or until crisp on the outside. Transfer the chorizo on a plate and set aside.
Add the onions then pumpkin and carrot to the same pan and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until the onions and pumpkin begin to soften. Add the garlic, bay leaf, smoked paprika and cumin and cook, stirring for 5 minutes, or until the pumpkin begins to caramelise.
Add the vinegar and cover with the water. Bring to boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered for 20-25 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tender. Add the cream and bring back to a simmer. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Discard the bay leaf.
Working in batches, blend the soup in a blender until smooth. Pour batches back into the saucepan to reheat. Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Ladle into four bowls. Top with cooked chorizo and pepitas.
Optional: Drizzle with extra virgin oil and serve with bread.
Alteration on recipe by Curtis Stone
PEA AND BROCCOLI SOUP WITH CHEESY CROUTONS
“This is a great vegetarian option and the cheesy croutons are the perfect addition to the dish.” – Captain Frank
Serves: 4 Prep: 15 mins Cooking Time: 20 mins
1 tbs olive oil
1 brown onion, finely chopped
1 leek, coarsely chopped
1 potato, peeled, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 cups (1L) chicken or vegetable stock
1 small head broccoli, coarsely chopped
2 cups (240g) frozen peas
20g butter
4 thick slices bread
2 slices tasty cheddar
Coarsely chopped chives
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, leek, potato and garlic. Cook, stirring for 5 minutes or until the onion softens. Add the stock and bring to boil. Add the broccoli and peas. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 10 minutes or until broccoli is very tender.
Transfer the broccoli mixture to the jug of a blender and blend until smooth. Return to the saucepan over low heat and heat through.
Preheat a sandwich press or large frying pan over high heat. Spread the butter evenly over 1 side of each bread slice. Sandwich the cheddar, butter side out, between bread slices. Cook in sandwich press for 2 minutes or in frying pan for 2 minutes each side, or until cheddar melts and the bread is golden brown. Cut into 2cm wide croutons.
Divide the soup among serving bowls. Top with the croutons and sprinkle with chives to serve.
Recipe by Curtis Stone
Do you have a tasty winter warmer recipe that you would love to share? Share your winter recipe creations on Instagram.