Banana Chocolate chunk Muffins

The whole world is reeling under the "Corona scare" and all we can do is take precautions and keep ourselves and dear ones safe by social distancing.Here in Chennai,though people are yet to completely understand the gravity of the situation,we have stocked up on necessities if ever God forbid,there's a lockdown.When it comes to stocking up,how much is enough is a question we need to ask ourselves.Please stock sensibly and spare a thought for those who have no access to supermarkets and online shopping.Do your bit and we'll survive this together :)

These muffins were a result of some over ripe bananas which were waiting to be used up.I usually add it to milkshakes,or mix a banana into my chapathi dough or even better,make dough for Buns.But this time as Arjun has holidays,I made muffins to satisfy the hunger pangs every minute:)

My stash of chocolate chips got over,so chopped up some chocolate and added into the batter.These taste amazing if I may say so myself.Perfect with a cup of milk :)

Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffins

Recipe source

Ingredients

Ripe Banana - 2(I used 4 small)

Yogurt - 1/2 cup

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Melted Butter - 1/3 cup

Egg - 1,beaten

Vanilla - 1 tsp

Flour - 1 1/2 cups

Baking soda - 1 tsp

Salt - a pinch

Chocolate chunks - 1/2 cup

Method

Preheat oven to 180C.Prepare a Muffin pan with liners.

In a bowl mash the bananas.Add sugar,yogurt,melted butter,egg and vanilla and mix well.

Add the flour,baking soda and salt and fold lightly till the batter is thick and combined.Fold in the chocolate chunks coated in little flour.

Pour the batter into the prepared muffin cups till 3/4th full.

Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the muffins turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let it cool and serve it with a cup of milk :)

Step by Step Tutorial

Preheat oven to 180C.Prepare a Muffin pan with liners.

In a bowl mash the bananas.

Add sugar,

yogurt,

melted butter,egg and 

vanilla and mix well.

Add the flour,

baking soda and salt and fold lightly till 

the batter is thick and combined.

Fold in the chocolate chunks coated in little flour.

Pour the batter into the prepared muffin cups till 3/4th full.

Bake for 20-22 minutes or until the muffins turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let it cool and serve it with a cup of milk :)

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Unniyappam | Kerala Special Unniyappam Recipe

For a long long time,I delayed making or even trying to learn how to make Unniyappam.I thought it requires a lot of experience,patience and it is way too complicated.Every time I tasted one though,I had a desire to learn how to make delicious,crunchy on the outside and soft inside Unniyappams.

Motherhood makes you do a lot of things.One of it is when the kids ask you to make something.Arjun loves Unniyappam and though he never asked me to make it,the way he relished it made me decide that I should at least try making it once.Turns out,the recipe is super simple.A handful of ingredients and a bit of time is all you need.There are a lot of recipes which uses the basic ingredients - Rice,Jaggery and Banana along with the flavorings.But this recipe made me want to try it asap.It adds a bit of Chakkavaratty into the batter.Yes,and believe me,it tastes awesome :)

Arjun loved it and had a couple of unniyappams at one go.I have already made the recipe twice and both times it got over in a flash.So if you love Unniyappam and are looking for a simple recipe,look no further-this is it!!!

Unniyappam | Kerala Special Unniyappam Recipe
Recipe adapted from - Bincy's Kitchen

Ingredients

Raw rice - 1 cup
Jaggery - 1 cup,grated
Chakkavaratty/Ripe Jackfruit preserve - 2 tbsp
Atta/Whole wheat flour - 1 tbsp
Salt - a pinch
Cardamom - 2 whole
Ripe Mysore Banana/Palayankodan pazham - 2 medium
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Coconut chopped/grated - 2-3 tbsp
Black sesame seeds/Ellu - 1 tsp
Coconut oil to make the Unniyappam

Method

Wash the rice well till the water runs clear and soak for 3-4 hours.
Melt the jaggery in 1/4 cup water and when it comes to a boil,switch off the flame and filter the syrup.Let it cool down.
In a mixer jar,add the soaked and drained rice,chakkavaratty,atta and salt to taste.
Add the jaggery syrup and cardamom and grind the mixture.Take care not to grind it too fine.We are looking at a fine semolina consistency.
Add the banana and pulse it for a few seconds.
In a pan add the ghee and saute the sesame seeds and coconut separately.Add that to the batter,mix well.
Keep the batter aside for 4-5 hours.
In a paniyaram pan/Unniyappa chatti add coconut oil,enough to fill the pan.Pour the batter using a ladle and cook in medium flame till the unniyappam turns golden brown.Flip and cook the other side.
Make sure the flame is medium for even cooking.

Step by step Tutorial

Wash the rice well till the water runs clear and soak for 3-4 hours.
Melt the jaggery in 1/4 cup water and when it comes to a boil,switch off the flame and filter the syrup.Let it cool down.

In a mixer jar,add the soaked and drained rice,

chakkavaratty,

atta and 

salt to taste.

Add the jaggery syrup and 

cardamom and grind the mixture.Take care not to grind it too fine.

We are looking at a fine semolina consistency.

Add the banana and pulse it for a few seconds.

In a pan add the ghee and saute the sesame seeds and coconut separately.Add that to the batter,mix well.

Keep the batter aside for 4-5 hours.

In a paniyaram pan/Unniyappa chatti add coconut oil,enough to fill the pan.Pour the batter using a ladle and cook in medium flame till the unniyappam turns golden brown.

Flip and cook the other side.

Make sure the flame is medium for even cooking.

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Eggless Chocolate Brownies with Pralines and Caramel Sauce

When I started baking a couple of years back,there weren't as many recipes available online and out of those which were available,only a few were reliable.I tried so many recipes from books,bloggers and friends before being able to call myself a baker :) Now the situation is completely different,at the tip of your fingers you can find hundreds of recipes and these days there are methods to bake even without an oven,isn't that great?

My next uphill task after learning to bake was to find good eggless recipes.I bake frequently for my family and both my amma and my m-i-l do not eat eggs.There are so many eggless recipes using curd,condensed milk,milk+vinegar,I've tried them all:) In fact,one of the most popular recipes in this blog is an Eggless Chocolate Walnut cake that I baked ages ago.I still get mails from people who have tried it saying the recipe works like a charm every single time.Also check out my Basic Eggless Vanilla Cake :)

March happens to be the month I started my blog 12 years ago.Yes,I know it's a long period but the last few years I wasn't consistent in posting here.I do love blogging and sharing recipes but let me be honest here,the lack of engagement in the blog(in terms of comments,mails etc)kind of demotivates me.I'm trying to keep all such thoughts aside and keep blogging,let's see how it works out this year :) For all those who still send me mails,feedback and appreciation,lots and lots of love to you :)

Let's head straight to the recipe.I made these brownies a while back for a lunch get together.It combines my love of butterscotch and chocolate and the result

is one kickass brownie :)

Eggless Chocolate Brownies with Pralines and Caramel Sauce

Ingredients

For the Brownie

Butter - 80 gms,melted and cooled

Condensed milk - 180 gms

Curd - 30 gms

Vanilla - 1 tsp

Dark chocolate - 160 gms,melted and cooled

Flour - 120 gms

Baking powder - 1/2 tsp

Baking soda - 1/4 tsp

Pralines - 1/3 cup,crushed(recipe below)

Salted Caramel sauce - 1/3 cup(recipe below)

Method

To make the Caramel Sauce

Take 1/2 cup sugar in a pan and let it caramelize.

When it is a deep amber colour,simmer the pan and mix in 1/2 cup cream and 1/4 cup salted butter.Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Let it cool down before storing in an airtight container.

To make the Praline

Take 1/3 cup sugar in a pan and let it caramelize.

Mix in 1/4 cup of toasted and crushed nuts(I used Cashews).

Add it to the caramelized sugar and pour on to a greased tray.Let it cool and then crush and use.

To make the Brownie

Preheat oven to 180C.Grease and line an 8" tin.

In a bowl whisk together the melted butter,condensed milk,curd and vanilla.

Add the melted and cooled chocolate and give a good mix.

Sift together flour,baking powder and baking soda and mix into the wet ingredients.

Stir in the crushed pralines.

Pour into the tray and swirl with caramel sauce.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Cool and cut into squares.

Step by Step Tutorial

To make the Brownie

Preheat oven to 180C.Grease and line an 8" tin.

In a bowl whisk together the melted butter,

condensed milk,

curd and 

vanilla.

Add the melted and cooled chocolate 

and give a good mix.

Sift together flour,baking powder and baking soda and 

mix into the wet ingredients.

Stir in the crushed pralines.

Pour into the tray 

and swirl with caramel sauce.

Bake for 30-40 minutes 

or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

Cool and cut into squares.

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