Banana & Milk Chocolate Muffins
I feel like the combo of banana and milk chocolate is one of the unsung heroes of the food world. If you haven't tried it, now's your chance - they compliment each other so well! My mum used to make these whenever we had overripe bananas in the house, and honestly, what an upgrade from boring old banana bread.
INGREDIENTS
Makes 12
FOR THE MUFFINS
135g vegetable oil
200g soft light brown sugar
3 overripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs
1tsp vanilla extract
225g plain flour
1tsp baking powder
1/2tsp bicarbonate of soda
1/2tsp salt
1/2tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
1/4tsp ground nutmeg (optional)
175g milk chocolate chips
FOR FINISHING
1tbsp demarara sugar, mixed with 1/4tsp cinnamon
Additional 25g milk chocolate, melted, for drizzling (optional)
METHOD
1
Preheat the oven to 220°C. Line a 12-hole muffin tin* with muffin cases. Set aside.
2
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg (if using). Whisk in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed and set aside.
3
In another bowl, combine the eggs, oil, vanilla and sugar. Add to the flour mixture, mixing until just combined.
Do not overmix at this stage - you just want to make sure there are no dry spots of flour.
Finally, fold in your mashed bananas.
4
Using a mechanical ice cream scoop (or of course two spoons, though I do recommend investing in the former!), divide the batter evenly amongst each muffin case.
Sprinkle some of the cinnamon sugar on top of each muffin, then bake for 5 minutes, bring the oven down to 170°C and bake for a further 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out with no wet batter on it.
Leave to cool for about 20 minutes. If desired, drizzle with some extra melted milk chocolate using a spoon or piping bag, before digging in (there's really nothing better than eating these warm from the oven!)
STORAGE NOTES:
Keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days. After this time, they will begin to dry out, though I imagine these won't last long anyway!
*If you don't have a muffin tin, you may use an 8x8 inch square pan, or a 9x9 inch round pan. The baking time will vary from about 30-35 minutes at 170°C if you choose to bake it this way! Just check with a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake - it should come out clean!
TIP #1
Baking for the first five minutes at the high temperature of 220°C helps the muffins to get a nicely domed top.
