Chocolate and banana mini yoghurt muffins

In Italy sweet muffins are usually made as a treat for children but they also make an excellent picnic food, says Mario Matassa

Chocolate chip and banana mini yoghurt muffins for picnic


Makes
 about 20
Preparation time 10 minutes plus cooling
Cooking time 10-15 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 large free-range egg, beaten

• 125ml plain Greek-style yoghurt

• 125ml whole milk

• 200g self-raising flour

• 80g brown caster sugar

• 75g chocolate drops

• 1 firm but ripe banana

• ½ a lemon

Instructions:

1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. In a large bowl mix together the egg, yoghurt and milk. Sift the flour into a separate bowl, then add the sugar and stir. 

2 Add the wet ingredients to the flour and sugar, then mix together well. Take care not to over-mix or the cakes won’t be as light and fluffy as they should be. 

3 Spoon the mixture into mini muffin cases or a muffin tray and top with chocolate chips. Bake the muffins in the oven for 10-15 minutes. Test with a toothpick to see if they are cooked.

4 Remove the muffins from the oven and leave to cool. When the muffins are cool, slice the banana into a bowl and squeeze over the lemon juice so that the banana does not discolour. Make small incisions into the top of each muffin and insert a slice of banana before serving.

TIP Muffins are something the Italians have brought in from America, but as always they’ve added a typically Italian twist to the theme… i.e., not so much sugar!

 

Find more Italian-inspired recipes here