Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins for Your Honey

Nothing says loving, like something from your oven, and something made fresh from your oven will say it best. Yes, those of you from the US and of a certain age, will probably remember this as little jingle that one particular baking company used to hawk their products. It was a memorable one as I can still hear it jangling through my head. Well, I have always maintained that your own scratch recipes are tastier and more memorable than a packet or the refrigerator. This is a variation on my general "go to" muffin recipe that I endlessly vary. I am constantly aiming to make my baked goods more healthy and still be a welcome treat. To that end the results can be varied. This muffin is not overly sweet, moist. comes together easily and is delicious, even after a couple of days languishing in a covered tin. This my version for my funny valentine with whom I am celebrating our anniversary today. And because "nothing says loving, like something from my oven", here is my offering, amore mio. Tiamo tanto!
Hope you love em too.

 

Whole Wheat Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Yields 10-12 medium muffins

Ingredients 

2-3 bananas, medium, very ripe, mashed

1 egg

1/2 c (1/2 bicchiere) oil, I use light flavored olive oil, butter if you prefer

1/2 c (1/2 bicchiere)yogurt, plain 

1 c (1 bicchiere) brown sugar, I used muscovado

1 tsp vanilla if desired

pinch salt

1 c whole wheat or farro flour

1 c white flour, plain or all purpose

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 c 1/2 bicchiere) chocolate chips, I used dark chocolate mini chips

Pecans or walnuts would be a nice yet optional addition

Mash your bananas and set aside

In a roomy medium to large mixing bowl, whisk together your egg and sugar till fluffy.

Add the oil, mix

Add the yogurt and vanilla, mix

Combine separately your two flours, baking powder and salt.

Add to the wet ingredients and start to mix lightly. 

Add the chocolate chips and combine until just barely mixed.

Scoop with a ice cream scoop if you have one into pregreased muffin tins.

I have some shallow ones that I like very much for a more compact muffin disk.

Bake at 375*F (190*C) in a preheated oven for about 15  minutes, depending on the size of the muffins.

Serve warm or room temperature. 

Store extra in a air tight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, They also freeze well.

Happy Valentines Day!

Red White and Blue Muffins

Happy 4th of July with Red, White and Blue Muffins

This was always my favorite holiday in America, as I love this summer celebration complete with barbecues, corn on the cob, sour cherry pie, watermelon, friends, family, parades, and naturally, spectacular firework displays. Well, actually, growing up in a small town, our spectacular display was a little on the meager side, but exciting all the same. It also meant that my birthday was just around the corner and the festivities seemed well under way as a warm up for my main event. I'm not as keen about the birthdays now as they pile up much too quickly, but I still feel pretty nostalgic for America's birthday party. So for those of you celebrating. Here's a pan of raspberry blueberry muffins just for you to start off your day of celebrations.

Red, White and Blue Muffins
Yields 12 large muffins or more smaller ones

Ingredients

1/2 c (80g) butter, melted
1 c (190g) sugar, I like to use brown demerara
2 eggs
1 c (225g) yogurt, plain
1 tsp vanilla extract, optional
3c (430g) flour
4 tsp (15g) baking powder
Pinch salt
1 c (150g) Blueberries,
1/2 c (75g) Raspberries

Method

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C)
Prepare your muffin tins with oiling or buttering or using papers so that it is ready to fill immediately upon mixing your batter.

In a medium sized bowl, Whisk your melted butter and sugar together.
Whisk in the two eggs, till emulsified.
Add the yogurt and vanilla, if desired, and mix thoroughly.
If using frozen berries take 2 or three tablespoons of your measured flour and sprinkle over your berries and toss lightly to cover, so they won't stick together so much when mixed with your batter.
Add the flour, salt and baking powder.
Gingerly mix the batter only partially before adding your fruit and finishing to mix your batter.
One of the key factors in tender muffins is to quickly mix your batter taking care not to over mix. Don't worry if everything is not completely mixed in, that is normal.
Just make sure at least eighty percent is mixed in. You will get a bit of streaking with the fruit, so handle carefully but quickly, so as not to crush your fruit.
Scoop into your prepared muffin pans.
Top or not.
Bake for 15-25 minutes depending on your oven and size of your muffins.
You only want the tops to be firm to the touch and light golden brown.

Cooks notes
I use an ice cream scoop to portion my muffins, whether large or small, to get nice rounded tops.
A dash of crumb topping is a nice addition, but not necessary.
I seldom use a recipe for making crumb topping, also called streusel.
This topping lends itself to all kinds of additions, like oats, nuts, coconut, cardamom, brown sugar, you get the idea.
Crumb topping, freezes well and is a great last minute garnish for any number of baked goods to keep on hand for a quick last minute variation or baking garnish.

A general rule for making an all-purpose topping for all sorts of baked goods is as follows
Crumb Topping
Mix together in a small bowl
1 c (100g) sugar, your choice of type
1 c (100g) flour
Add 1/4-1/2 c (50g-100g) cold butter, cut up into pieces
Rub the butter into the flour/sugar with your fingers
Mix till you get lumpy bits and loose flour.
You can add cinnamon and/ or other spices as desired.
I generally leave the cinnamon out, as I like the fruit flavors to shine through

Enjoy setting off some flavor fireworks with these muffins soon.
Ciao!