A desert from Adri’s kitchen
“Deliciously moist chocolatey and utterly irresistible – they keep for up to a week, tightly wrapped in foil”…that’s what the BBC said – not true! This recipe was originally called banana nut brownie, an inspiration from the BBC cooking network. I was truly surprised by how quick and easy it was to make, but it was far from satisfaction! It was not irresistible as promised, but, inspiring enough to improve…. With that intention in mind and after a few modifications and several trials, it is, now, when served warm, really a noteworthy MMMgasmic chocolate treat.
Ingredients
170 g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
300 g Muscovado sugar (a type of brown sugar)
200 g dark chocolate
50 g rich milk chocolate broken into 1cm pieces
100 g nuts, toasted and chopped (optional)
3 eggs, beaten
2 bananas, ripe and mashed
100 g flour
3 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp Bailey’s Irish Cream or other coffee liqueur
Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 220 C / Gas 5 / Fan oven 200 C. Butter and line a non-stick small muffin tray or 18x28cm baking tin.
2. Put the butter, sugar, and chocolate in a large pan and heat gently, stirring until melted and smooth, then remove the pan from the heat.
3. Stir in the bananas, liqueur, eggs, nuts (if desired) until well mixed, then shift in the flour, cocoa and baking powder.
4. For best results place the chocolate batter mixture in the fridge for 24 hours. I do not know why, but it does make a difference. This batter will make 12-15 muffinettes. You may choose to bake them all at once or a few at a time. The batter will keep easily for a week in the fridge.
5. Pour the chocolate batter mixture into the muffin tray (a small tray as opposed to big) and fill with tbsp-full portions (approx 50-60% full). Insert a piece of the milk chocolate in the center of each muffinette and cover it with the chocolate batter. Bake for 10-12 minutes until firm on the outside and soft inside. Visual signs for readiness are colour matte (indicating dry) vs. glossy (indicating wet), crusty on the outer yet feeling soft and springy. When ready, cool for 5 minutes in the tins, then gently!!! take out…best if served warm yet will keep good for several days (however, it is a different experience). The texture should be firm and crusty outside while warm, moist and melty within. If the muffinettes come out dry and spongy that means they were baked too long; if they are soft and collapsed they were not baked enough. If this happened to you, do not be disheartened…try again! It may take you 1-2 more attempts to get it right, but when you do…I promise you will celebrate!
6. If you do not have muffin tins you can use a baking tin (but it is not the same). Bake in tray, 20-30 minutes, until firm in the center. It is important to note that baking in the muffin tins is what gives this cake-like delight its wow effect. Baking small portions in high heat in a short time allows to create a crusty and firm exterior that keeps the muffinettes’ form stable enough to serve warm while encapsulating a moist and melty chocolatey texture within. Baking in cake form cannot achieve the same texture and taste. Baking in the cake tins requires longer baking duration, 20-30 minutes, and having it drier/ spongier in texture to be able to cut it and serve it warm; or bake it less time 15-20 minutes and let it fully cool down before cutting…resulting in a slightly fudgy texture.
Servings: 12 muffinettes; 15 cake pieces
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Tips
This recipe is great as is and that does not mean you cannot make a variation from the original. If you like, here are a few inspirations for variety:
First, chocolate cherry muffinettes. How? Instead of banana you can use a good cherry or even berry jam; use about 150g of jam and drop the coffee liqueur.
Second, chocolate orange muffinettes. How? Add 1 grated orange peel and substitute the coffee liqueur for an orange liqueur such as Triple-Sec or Cointreau. Adding some orange flavored chocolate chips will even greaten the celebration! Whatever you do…enjoy!
Third, chocolate coffee muffinettes. How? Add 2 tsp of instant coffee dissolved in the liqueur.
Recipe by Adri
Author: GoodFood Magazine, BBC
Source: 101 Cakes and Bakes
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