Banana Chocolate Chip Espresso Muffins.

You know what this Monday needs? Muffins. Muffins with chocolate. and coffee. and maybe some fruit so we can call it "healthy." Basically, almost-cake that can be eaten for breakfast.

Welcome to Banana Bread Week! Throughout the week, each of the 3 Happy Eaters is going to share their take on this diverse baked-deliciousness that works for breakfast, a snack, or even dessert! 

When I find myself with some almost-rotting bananas, I immediately reach for my Baked NYC cookbook, Baked: New Frontiers in Baking. I've said it before and I'll say it again: this is my all-time favorite baking cookbook. You usually only find about a third of the recipes in a given cookbook to be appealing, but I kid you not: every single recipe in this book is unbelievable. Not only do you want to make them, you can make them and when you do make them, they are show-stopping good. Have I made myself clear how incredible this cookbook is? Go get it right now. The link opens in a new tab so don't worry I'll be right here waiting for ya.

The first recipe section in the book is, of course, breakfast. One of the first recipes that I ever tried from this section was for Banana Chocolate Chip Espresso Muffins. Holy sweet goodness, these are good. I like to make muffins because they're easier for sharing at work (and you can get away with eating five at a time). and this recipe is SO easy to throw together. You can find this recipe on the web in other places, so I'll share it with you here. But really, please, right now, go get this cookbook. Seriously, you won't regret it.

Baked NYC's Banana Chocolate Chip Espresso Muffins
from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking, by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

Makes 12-18 muffins

1 1/2 cups mashed, very ripe bananas (like, almost rotten, about 4)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1/4 cup whole milk
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (or instant coffee granules, but NOT ground coffee)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt (omit if you use salted butter, which you shouldn't!)
1 cup (6oz) semisweet chocolate chips (resist the temptation to add more, too many and your muffins won't hold together)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tin with papers, or use nonstick spray.

In a medium bowl, stir together bananas, sugars, butter, milk, and egg. It's important here that the butter be melted but not still hot so that it congeals in the cold milk, or scrambles the egg. That'd be disgusting.

In another medium bowl, whisk together flour, instant espresso powder, baking soda, and salt.

Gently pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients, and stir until just combined (the more you stir the tougher the muffins will be). Fold in chocolate chips.

Fill muffin tin about 3/4 full each. Bake for 20ish minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffins come out clean (minus melted chocolately goodness). Let muffins cool in the pan on a cooling rack for about 15 mins, then remove and let finish cooling on the rack. 

Or devour them as soon as they're cooled to an endurable temperature. Store them in an airtight baggy (after cooling completely) or container for up to 2 days but I doubt they'll be around that long. They're delicious the next day if you nuke them for 5 seconds. Remelts the chocolate. Mmmmmm.

I like my banana bread muffin-shaped and sprinkled with chocolate and a hint of coffee. Stay tuned for Amanda and Katie's favorite versions!