Embracing High Heat, Part II (The Sweet)
Yesterday, you read on Food Gal about how high heat does wondrous things to plain ol’ shrimp.
Today, you can learn that it also does amazing things to baked goods.
Just take these “Roasted Banana Muffins” from the “PlumpJack Cookbook” (Rodale) by Napa food and wine writer, Jeff Morgan.
Actually, you’d have to pry them from my hands because they are just way too good. So much so, you’d have to be a very generous soul to part with any of them.
What makes them so extraordinary?
High heat that roasts the bananas, whole, in their skins, before you peel them, mash them, and stir them into the batter.
Ten minutes at 400 degrees will turn the skins black. After awhile, juices will begin to seep out. That’s when you know the bananas are ready to be removed from the oven.
High heat caramelizes the natural sugars in the bananas, concentrating the fruit flavor.
This is a very simple muffin recipe that doesn’t have a whole lot of frills to it. Because it’s so plain-Jane, you’ll be struck by how banana-y these muffins taste. There’s a deep, pronounced flavor here, despite the few ingredients.
The tops of these light-textured muffins get a beautiful, Saint Tropez tan, too, from the high heat.
I added 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, just because I like nuts in my banana baked goods. But you can leave them out, if you like.
A smear of butter on a warm muffin half is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
The recipe makes a dozen. But you might want to double it. That way, you might bring yourself to share a few.
Just maybe.
Roasted Banana Muffins
(Makes 12)
2 ripe bananas
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 cup milk
1 large egg, beaten
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Make a 3-inch-long slice down each banana skin and lay the bananas on a baking sheet.
Roast bananas until skins turn black and juices in the bananas start to run from the slits in the skins, about 10 minutes. Remove bananas from the oven but keep oven on. When bananas are cool enough to handle, discard peels and place bananas in a bowl or large, shallow dish. Mash with a fork and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and whisk to blend evenly. In another large bowl, whisk milk, egg, and melted butter. Stir in the mashed banana. Thoroughly combine dry ingredients with banana mixture and stir with a wooden spoon to blend well.
Place a paper baking liner into each cup of a 12-tin muffin tray. Spoon muffin batter into each cup, filling about three-quarters full. Bake until golden brown or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes.
From the “PlumpJack Cookbook”
Yesterday: Embracing High Heat, Part I (The Savory)
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Thursday, 2. July 2009 5:18
Wow! Perfect Bannana Muffin ! for the morning sunrise~
thandks !
Have a wonderful Day~
Thursday, 2. July 2009 5:31
Those muffins sound and look really good! I like the idea of roasting the bananas first…
Cheers,
Rosa
Thursday, 2. July 2009 8:24
Love this idea. I wonder what would happen if you tossed the bananas on the grill instead? Still in their peels? Same effect, you think? Or would you end up with a nasty mess of the highest order? [thinking] I’m probably making some kind of banana-y bready-y concoction today and now you’ve got my cogs churning…
Thursday, 2. July 2009 10:23
Hey, I have that cookbook and I don’t remember seeing this recipe. I really should open my books up more! Thanks for the reminder! And I don’t need to double the recipe! Being the Single Guy, a dozen sounds about right for me!
Thursday, 2. July 2009 10:42
I love roasted bananas. I agree that it completely transforms the flavor. I like to serve them atop my morning oatmeal.
Thursday, 2. July 2009 11:33
Just when I thought banana muffins couldn’t get any better….
Thursday, 2. July 2009 11:42
Yum! Muffins with roasted bananas sound like a perfect breakfast!
Thursday, 2. July 2009 12:52
Kelly: Oh, I bet roasted bananas WOULD be divine atop oatmeal. What a great idea!
Cheryl: I know I’ve seen recipes for grilled bananas. Usually, they’re wrapped in foil packets with chocolate before they go on top of the grate. I think you should give it a whirl, and see if you can just grill them in their skins right on the grate. I wonder if you’d get a really nice smoky flavor, too.
Thursday, 2. July 2009 16:45
Roasting the bananas is such an incredible idea! Ill have to try that sometime!
Tuesday, 7. July 2009 19:10
[...] awhile since I’ve used roasted bananas in something but Carolyn of Food Gal’s recent post about Roasted Banana Muffins reminded me how much I missed doing this. The resulting recipe is [...]
Thursday, 16. July 2009 21:09
Oh, this I’ve got to try! I love banana breads and muffins but never seem to have ripe ones on hand when the craving strikes. I wouldn’t mind trying the roasted bananas on their own, as well.
Sunday, 11. October 2009 11:25
Are you sure that’s 1 and 1/4 cups of sugar?
Sunday, 11. October 2009 11:31
Tan Na: Yup, just double-checked it, and that is the correct amount of sugar.
Sunday, 11. October 2009 12:26
You’re right (I just finished a batch with a little less sugar because I wasn’t sure–still delicious though). Thanks!
Sunday, 11. October 2009 20:33
You’re welcome, Tan Na. Glad you loved the muffins as much as I do.