The UK’s biggest chocolate celebrations have been going on this week, and to get into the swing of things we prepared our sweet tooth, donned our apron, and tried to perfect the art of the chocolatier with a recipe for Double Chocolate Banana Muffins With Mascarpone Frosting & Bourbon Caramel Sauce.
Now in its 12th consecutive year, Chocolate Week aims to promote fine flavour chocolate, the independent artisan chocolatiers, and the chocolate companies who work in direct partnership with cocoa farmers, encouraging consumers to pay a fairer price for their chocolate.
The week culminates with The Chocolate Show London at Olympia National Hall from 14th to 16th October, bringing the best of the industry together all under one roof and which is expected to be attended by 20,000 chocolate fans.
And so to tie in with this we have this recipe.
The double chocolate is delightful, and the banana keeps the muffins moist, and so good is this recipe that you don’t actually need any frosting on the muffins……but then again who doesn’t like frosting?
Double Chocolate Banana Muffins With Mascarpone Frosting & Bourbon Caramel Sauce Recipe
Makes: 20-22 medium sized muffins or about 15-17 normal sized
Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
Ingredients
* 2 cups (300 g) all purpose flour
* ¾ cup + 1 ½ tbsp (80 g) cocoa powder
* 1 tbsp baking powder (yes, tablespoon!)
* 1/2 tsp baking soda
* 1/4 tsp salt
* 1 cup + 2 tbsp (250 g) granulated sugar
* 100 g butter (1 scant stick), melted
* 1 cup buttermilk
* 2 large eggs
* 2 very ripe bananas
* 150 g dark chocolate (70%), coarsely chopped (or chocolate chips)
Instructions
1. Heat oven to 200°c (392°F). Prepare a muffin pan with 12 muffin liners (or if you have two pans and can fit them both in the oven, prepare both of them with liners).
2. Mix flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in bowl. Set aside.
3. Mix sugar, butter, buttermilk, eggs and mashed banana in a large bowl. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
4. Stir in chocolate, but save 1/4 of it to put on top of muffins. Divide batter between 20-22 medium sized liners, filling them almost to the very top. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate pieces.
5. Bake for 16-18 minutes or until a cake tester comes out almost clean.
Bourbon Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
* 1 1/2 tbsp bourbon (rum would work too)
* 2 tbsp milk
* 3 ½ tbsp heavy cream
* 1/3 cup (70 g) granulated sugar
* 25 g butter
* Pinch of salt
Instructions
1. Carefully heat bourbon, milk and cream in a saucepan. It should be hot but not boiling.
2. Meanwhile, put the sugar in another sauce pan and heat until it starts to melt. Carefully stir sugar with a spoon until all sugar has melted and has become a golden brown color.
3. Add the butter and stir until melted. Very carefully (it will bubble up!) add the heated cream mixture. Stir until smooth, add the salt and pour into a jar to cool. Put in the fridge to become completely cold.
For this an more great recipes please head on over to the ever reliable and always great callmecupcake.se and for more info on Chocolate Week please see here.