Banana and Choc-Chip Muffins

My new-old vintage pyrex bowl.  Love the print! Just don't wash it in the dishwasher, or it will disappear.

I have noticed an alarming trend in the preceding posts...everything is served in cupcake/muffin sized portions. Sadly, this trend continues in this post.  It's not through any sort of design or intention - I just happened to have some old friends popping in for coffee on Sunday and needed something quick and yummy to serve, which also used the over-ripe bananas getting progressively darker and mushier in my fruit bowl.

Result = banana muffins.  Plus I happened to have some Lindt chocolate in my cupboard, and we all know chocolate goes absolutely fabulously with banana (don't we)?  The only thing which doesn't go well with chocolate and banana is cheese - which is a strangely popular combo in Indonesia.  I tried it once, and it really did not thrill me.  Hence the lack of cheese in these otherwise delicious muffins!

These babies were particularly great warm, so if you eat them after that just-out-of-the-oven glow, I recommend heating them up in the microwave for around 20 seconds. Melts the chocolate to just the right amount of mushy, glossiness.

Banana and Choc-Chip Muffins

Ingredients
-  2 cups self raising flour
-  1 pinch salt
-  1/2 cup caster sugar
-  2 overly ripe bananas, mashed with a fork
-  2 eggs, beaten
-  1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-  1/2 cup milk
-  70 grams melted butter
-  1 cup chopped high-quality dark chocolate (I chose Lindt)

Don't forget to heat up the oven to 200 degrees Celcius - and use the classic bake setting.  Fan forced just makes the muffins look a little lopsided, at least in my oven.

Next up, melt the butter and put it to one side -  I do this in the microwave in a pyrex bowl, at 20 second increments.  Easy peasy, and saves me the extra washing up involved with melting the butter in a separate pan.

Mash the over-ripe bananas in a bowl with a fork.  Also put this aside.

Then, in a large bowl I sieved the flour and then whisked the salt and caster suger through (I am a convert to the whole whisking thing, ala Martha Stewart).  Leave this to one side.

With a large wooden spoon, add the eggs, milk and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients.  Fold through, but do it quickly - the fewer strokes, the lighter the muffins will be.  Next, add in the mashed bananas and chopped chocolate.  Don't over mix, just fold it in.   (Some people like choc-chips you buy pre-made, but frankly I am not sold.  They are usually average-grade chocolate, and I prefer the process of chopping up high-quality chocolate... not to mention eating it!)

Now, spoon the batter into patty cakes - this should make around 12.  I used black liners I had bought specifically to use at Halloween, but I never seem to find the time to use them when I am otherwise occupied by organising the party of the year.  Hence, I used them for these tasty muffins instead.

Now pop these into the oven for between 20-30 minutes (don't forget to check on them) until they are golden brown and a skewer poked in them comes out clean.  I recommend serving them warm with a hot cup of coffee and some very good friends to enjoy them with you.