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Rose Levy Beranbaum's Banana Muffins - The Bread Bible
GREAT USE FOR RIPE BANANAS
I had a couple of very ripe bananas that had begun accumulating brown spots on the skins and decided to look for a recipe where they could be used. I found a great recipe for Banana Muffins in Rose Levy Beranbaum's "Bread Bible" on page 121. Her recipe includes sour cream, butter, egg(s), grated lemon zest, vanilla extract, toasted and chopped walnuts, turbanado sugar and is made with cake flour.
Although my photos don't look all that exciting, these muffins are delicious...light and moist, with a cake-like texture, and the recipe can be done quickly---and easily. They're on the order of a quick bread. She doesn't suggest it, but after tasting them I think they could be frosted with a simple white cake frosting using a small amount of lemon or orange zest incorporated into the frosting. She suggests making large muffins. In fact her recipe is called : "Big Banana Muffins". However, I prefer smaller muffins so I doubled the recipe and made a dozen regular size and a half dozen mini muffins. They freeze well. Just let them completely cool on a wire rack, then bag them in a plastic bag and freeze them. They're terrific breakfast or snack muffins.
Howard
Comments
Howard,
I have some bananas on the verge of over ripeness and I usually to the All New All Purpose Joy of Cooking banana bread because for me, it is perfection. But I have the bread bible and will definitely try it out. Thanks!
Jane
Thanks for your note. Good to hear from you. I wrote you a response yesterday and thought I posted it, but somehow it didn't get posted. Guess my post falling through the cracks must have had something to do with operator trouble on this end. It's been a long week.
I think your children would really like these muffins. They're made with cake flour instead of AP or bread flour. They're much lighter and as a result of the cake flour and the lemon zest, honey and sour cream give them good flavor. As I said, they could be iced with a white icing with some lemon juice and lemon zest added to the icing and I think that would enhance their flavor nicely.
My photos of the muffins are uninspiring but the muffins themselves sure taste good. When all else fails...blame it on the camera. Like..."As soon as I get my Hasselblad back from being repaired I'll be able to take much better pix of the crumb" :>)
You're right about The Joy of Cooking. It's a a classic and the tried and true standard for most U.S. kitchens.
Now that I things are less hectic on this end, and I have more time, I'll have to take a look at your site and see what you've been up to and what you're baking these days. Hope all is well with you and yours.
Regards,
Howard
Howard,
Oh, I haven't been up to much these days! I finally posted something, but finding time is terrible. this fall, hubby has come and gone (mostly gone) and the blog comes in tenth place, unfortunately.
I'm doing those muffins VERY soon, the bananas are almost ready. I know what you mean about photos, often they don't show the reality of the food (good OR bad). But, I definitely take your word for these ones, now I just have to decide which flour to use.
Jane
Howard, my husband always insists on buying more bananas than he can eat before they become over ripe...they were falling out of my freezer.....he loves muffins!! So another recipe added to the to do list! They do look good!
Sylvia
They're really terrific muffins. I have made quite a few recipes from Rose Levy's "Bread Bible" and so far they're all winners. Her ciabatta recipe was the first ciabatta I ever made and It's so easy and her recipe is right-on in terms of measurements, mixing and baking. It's Charlene's favorite bread so I make it fairly frequently. Her Sticky Caramel Buns are also GREAT! If you get a chance, try them. They're delicious.
Howard
I have some bananas in the freezer for some bread and that might be something to do later.
They look great and I can almost smell them!
Eli
These muffins are not difficult to make. Rose Levy's recipe calls for cake flour, which makes them very light in texture.
Maybe it's just me, but it seems lately bananas don't last as long as they used to before developing brown spots. Maybe it's a coordinated plot by a banana terrorist group against us, here in North Florida. I'm betting these spotted, over-ripe bananas have Hugo Chavez's fingerprints all over them :>)
Howard
Howard, these muffins are SO good! They aren't muffins, they're CAKE. The lemon is just perfect in them. I didn't have cake flour but used T55 and didn't have sour cream, so used petit suisse and yogurt. I used organic "roux" sugar. I doubled the recipe because six muffins for so much work is NOT enough. They aren't difficult to make but there are a few steps.
Thanks for sharing, this recipe is a WINNER!
Jane
Jane,
Thanks for your note. So glad you like the muffins. You're right, they're cake.
Regards,
Howard