Banana Muffins

These are wonderful little muffins that are so quick and easy to make! The only point to remember is that you will need to use 'very ripe bananas' that have gone 'brown'. You may replace the milk chocolate with white chocolate, chopped nuts or even dried fruits if you wish. PLEASE NOTE: The important thing is not to over mix the batter - you do not want it smooth. Over-mixing the batter will yield tough, rubbery muffins.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Yields: 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 245  g plain flour
• 1  teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 100  g granulated sugar
• 50  g light brown sugar
• 65  g  milk chocolate, cut into small pieces
• 2  large eggs, at room temperature and lightly beaten
• 115  g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 450  g  very ripe bananas, mashed well (approximately 3 large bananas)
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to Gas Mark 4/350F/180°C.
2. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with muffin cases or grease the insides very well with butter if not using the liners.
3. In a large bowl sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
4. Add in both sugars and chopped chocolate pieces and set aside.
5. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the mashed bananas, eggs, melted butter and vanilla.
6. With a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, lightly fold in the banana mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined and batter is thick and chunky (you should finish folding in 15 seconds and ignore the lumps in the mixture - DO NOT OVERMIX).
7. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin.
8. Bake in the middle shelf of the oven for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. If you have lined the tin with muffin cases, then remove the muffins from the pan and place on wire rack to cool, otherwise let it cool in the pan for about 5 minutes and then transfer onto a wire rack to cool!
10. Serve warm or at room temperature.