Banana and berry muffins

September 25, 2008

If the kids are mooching round the house these school holidays, generally getting underfoot and making mini-menaces of themselves, get them into the kitchen. My Mum did it with me and I did it with my own sons and I can report it paid dividends in later years.

These banana and fruit muffins deal with the browning bananas in the fruit bowl and those small quantities of frozen berries in the freezer.

Softening bananas are the best sort for cakes and muffins. Frozen berries don’t need thawing.

Teach the kids the golden rule for muffins – don’t overmix. Some lumpiness and a little loose flour in the mix is OK.

Banana and berry muffins

2 cups flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup mashed banana
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup milk
1/2 cup frozen blueberries or cranberries
2 tablespoons of butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 200 C. Grease a 12-compartment muffin tin with butter.

Mix flour, baking powder, nutmeg and sugar in a bowl. In another bowl mix the milk, egg, melted butter and banana.

Place the berries in a sieve and run a little warm water through them to ensure they are separated. Shake off any water and tip berries into flour then pour the egg mixture fold in with a fork until barely mixed. Do not over mix.

Spoon into muffin tins, filling each one about two thirds full.

Bake for 15-20 mins or until just starting to brown - test with a toothpick. Muffins are cooked when the toothpick comes out clean.

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