Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins

Hello everyone! Sorry its been so long since my last post, I've been so busy moving. Carrying furniture and boxes in 100 degree Arizona heat should be classified as torture. But now everything is in my new condo, all unpacked and in its correct place! I bought a bunch of items for the kitchen :) Crate & Barrel and Williams Sonoma are my personal meccas. So far I've made 2 meals in my new kitchen, but I cooked them both at such late hours of the night that unfortunately it was too dark to photograph. Oh well, there will be plenty more meals coming out of my new kitchen.

On to the muffins! This is the second time I've made these muffins. The recipe is from the cookbook Baked which also includes one of the greatest recipes for brownies. The book is super cute and filled with gorgeous photos and tips, I highly recommend it.

These muffins came out delicious before and did again the second time. They are soft and moist. The instant espresso powder cuts through the sweetness of the bananas and chocolate and gives the muffins a nice depth of flavor. Usually, I like my muffins right out of the oven so they're fresh and warm, but with these ones the flavor and texture enhances after a day. My brother commented after eating one, "These could be sold in a bakery!".


Banana Espresso Chocolate Chip Muffins
From Baked by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito
Makes 12 Muffins

• 1 1/2 cups mashed, very ripe bananas (about 4 medium bananas)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, stir together the bananas, sugars, butter, milk, and egg.

In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, instant espresso powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the well and stir until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Fill each cup about three-quarters full. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Move the muffin pan to a cooling rack, and let cool for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove the muffins from the pan and let them finish cooling on the cooling rack.

Muffins can be stores in an airtight container for up to 2 days.