Banana Crunch Muffins ~ by Ina Garten (The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook)

There’s nothing better than a freshly baked muffin…just out of the oven and enjoyed with a hot cup of coffee…YUM!

These muffins will be baked often. This recipe is a keeper!

The muffin photo above can be seen in
FOOD GAWKER (#63737)

and was EXPLORED in flickr

What is Flickr?

"Flickr is an online photo management and sharing application. Flickr is a way to get your photos and videos to the people who matter to you. Basic accounts are free.

Upload

Upload from your desktop, send by email, or use your cameraphone.

Edit

Get rid of red eye, crop a photo, or get creative with fonts and effects!

Organize

Use collections, sets, and tags to organize your photos and videos.

Share

Use groups and privacy controls to share your photos and videos.

Maps

Share where your photos and videos were taken, and see photos and videos taken near you.

Make Stuff
Cards, photo books, framed prints, Target pick up, DVDs, etc.


Keep in Touch
Get updates from family and friends."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

So…on to baking these yummy muffins.

As usual, I did make some changes to the recipe. I made the granola from scratch. You can view the GRANOLA RECIPE on my post HERE.

I also typed this recipe out as viewed in the video. The recipe directions posted online is not in the same order as in the video.


Banana Crunch Muffins
The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten

Adapted by Carmen Ortiz of Baking is my Zen

Cook Time: Approx 25 -30 minutes
Yield: 18 large muffins or 23-24 regular size (2 ½ inch cup)

INGREDIENTS:

DRY MIXTURE:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon (my additon)

MILK MIXTURE:
2 extra-large eggs
3/4 cup whole milk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/2 pound unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 bananas)
1 cup medium-diced ripe bananas (1 banana)

1 cup small-diced walnuts
1 cup granola (see my post for making your own granola)

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut

TOPPING:
Dried banana chips, granola, or shredded coconut, optional 
Finely chopped walnuts a bit of cinnamon (my preference for the topping)


DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Line 18 large muffin cups with paper liners. (Or 24 muffin cups)

3. SIFT the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.

4. Combine the eggs, milk, vanilla.

5. Add the melted butter (cooled just a bit-you don’t want to cook the eggs) to the milk mixture and blend.

6. Pour the milk mixture to dry ingredients.

7. Mix well but don’t overmix.

8. Add the mashed bananas, diced bananas, walnuts, granola, and coconut into the batter.

9. FOLD all ingredients. DO NOT OVERMIX.

10. Spoon the batter into paper liners, filling each to the top. (I use ice cream scooper to fill cups).

11. Top each muffin with dried banana chips, granola, or coconut, if desired. (I prefer finely chopped walnuts mixed with a bit of cinnamon)

12. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

13. Cool slightly, remove from the pan, and serve.

Here's a Food Network  VIDEO of Ina Garten of Barefoot Contessa baking the Banana Crunch  Muffins.

THE NEXT FOOD NETWORK STAR is on tonight!

Who do you think should win?

Peace in baking,

Carmen

Baking is my Zen…sweet nibbles for the soul