Friday, October 11, 2013

Dropping by


Banana chocolate muffins

It's been a while. Ready for a photo heavy post? 

Banana chocolate muffins

I’ve started college and it’s been both exciting and overwhelming at times. I miss my kitchen, every so often, when I eat at some of the dining halls. (The closest one to my residence hall really, really stinks.) I haven't been baking much. I did bake (many, many) batches of Trader Joe’s refrigerated cookie dough in my friend’s kitchen with a few friends. It was reminiscent of a simple time when I wasn’t bogged down with exams, papers, and readings.

Banana chocolate muffins

I’ll be in touch soon. (Read: after Thanksgiving break. I already have a long list of recipes to test.)

Banana chocolate muffins


Here’s a batch of chocolate banana muffins I made a few days before school started. They’re very delicate in texture and not too sweet – just the way I like ‘em. Perfect for a quick breakfast or an afternoon pick-me-up. 
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Chocolate Banana Muffins 
Recipe adapted from Nigella Lawson 
1 c. almond meal
½ c. whole wheat flour
¼ c. all purpose flour
3 T. cocoa
2 t. baking powder
½ t. baking soda
¼ t. salt
⅔ c. light brown sugar, gently packed

1 c. milk
⅓ c. mashed banana (1 medium banana)
1 T. grapeseed oil
1 egg
1 t. vanilla

40 g. 70% chocolate, chopped (1/2 Lindt bar)
sliced almonds

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line your muffin tin.

Sift together almond meal, flours, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and brown sugar. There will be flecks of grain from the whole wheat flour left in the sieve. Dump those in.

Add mashed banana to a medium sized bowl. Add in egg, oil, and vanilla and mix. Once combined, add in the milk and slowly mix together.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry and fold together gently. It is okay if there are lumps. Add in the chopped chocolate.

Add sliced almonds on the top of the muffins, if desired. Add enough to cover the top in one even layer.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Because of the melted chocolate chunks, poke in the toothpick in at least two different areas. If you pull out the toothpick and there is some dark batter on it, it might be chocolate. So try in two places.