Banana & Hazelnut Muffins
If you’ve always wondered what to do with slightly over ripe bananas, these mouthwatering muffins offer a tasty alternative to the usual banana bread option. It’s a great recipe for using up store cupboard essentials; just keep an eye on the hazelnuts when roasting to make sure they don’t burn and be sure to use clear rather than set honey, as it makes the process easier.
Ingredients
4oz/100g hazelnuts
1oz/25g butter, melted
4tbsp/4x15mlsp clear honey
1/2tsp/2.5ml vanilla essence
2 eggs, beaten
2 large, ripe bananas, mashed
6oz/150g plain flour (white or brown)
1 1/2tsp/7.5ml baking powder
Topping
1tbsp/15mlsp clear honey
Serves 10
Method
- Put the hazelnuts into a heavy based pan and dry roast over a low heat, stirring all of the time until the hazelnuts are lightly brown. Tip onto a plate and leave to cool. If the nuts still have their dark skins on, rub them between your hands over a bowl to remove them.
- Finely chop 1oz/25g of the hazelnuts and set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 190C/375F Gas Mark 5 (Fan Oven 180C/350F). Put 10 deep muffin cases into a muffin tin.
- Stir the butter, honey, vanilla essence, eggs and bananas together. Tip the flour and baking powder into a sieve and sift over the mixture. If using brown flour tip the bran left in the sieve into the mixture. Add the whole hazelnuts and stir well to combine.
- Place heaped dessert-spoonfuls of the mixture into the cases. Put into the centre of the hot oven and bake for 15 minutes or until risen, golden brown and cooked through. Brush tops with a little warmed honey and scatter the chopped hazelnuts over. Serve warm or cold.