Muffins caramel-banane

( Banana and caramel muffins )

You might be surprised to see a muffin recipe in this book. They are not something you’d see very often in a French bakery, but I have included them here because they are incredibly quick and easy to make and almost failproof — the perfect recipe for budding bakers. Muffins can be amazingly versatile and I love experimenting with new flavours and textures. This banana and caramel version is one of my favourites, but feel free to use this recipe as a base and let your imagination run wild. You could try something adventurous, such as apricot and verbena, or bitter chocolate with coffee and cardamom, or if you prefer something a little more conservative, try raspberries and coconut.

Makes 24

3 medium bananas

juice of 1 lemon

200 g (7 oz) unsalted butter

200 g (7 oz) caster (superfine) sugar

Batter

660 g (1 lb 7 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour

540 g (1 lb 3 oz) caster (superfine) sugar

2½ teaspoons fine salt

18 g (¾ oz) baking powder

4 eggs

540 ml (18¼ fl oz) full-cream milk

330 ml (11¼ fl oz) vegetable oil

L Cut the bananas into 1 cm (½ in) thick slices and place in a bowl. Add the lemon juice, toss to coat well, then set aside (see tip).

L Put the butter and sugar in a large frying pan over high heat and cook until melted. Strain the bananas over a bowl and reserve the lemon juice, then place the banana slices in a single layer in the pan with the melted butter and sugar. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 2–3 minutes, or until the sugar caramelises. Turn the bananas in the caramel until both sides are golden, then remove from the pan and place in a bowl. Add the reserved lemon juice to the caramel and combine well, then transfer to a heatproof bowl. Cover the two bowls containing the bananas and caramel, then refrigerate for 1 hour, or until cold.

L Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Line two 12-hole standard muffin tins with paper cases or squares of baking paper.

L To make the batter, use an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on low speed to combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Lightly beat the eggs, milk and oil in a bowl until well combined. With the motor running, gradually add the egg mixture to the dry mixture, scraping down the side of the bowl and the paddles as you go. Don’t add too much liquid at once or you will end up with lumps. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before using.

L Half-fill the paper cases with the batter. Add a few slices of banana and a teaspoon of caramel to each, then top up with enough batter to come about 1 cm (½ in) from the top of the cases. Top with a few more slices of banana and another teaspoon of caramel, then bake for 40 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of a muffin. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack.

technical tip

Lemon juice is added to the sliced bananas to stop them from browning (oxidising). This is caused by a chemical process called ‘enzymatic browning’, where the enzymes in the fruit react to the presence of oxygen. This process can be slowed down by reducing the pH level of the fruit by adding an acid. In baking we usually use citrus fruit (they have a high content of ascorbic and citric acid), not only to slow oxidation but because their tart flavour works very well at reducing the perceived taste of sweetness. In savoury cooking or when an acidic taste is undesirable, soak the sliced fruit or vegetable in cold water to reduce their exposure to oxygen.