Banana Marzipan Muffin

 

This muffin is on my daughter snack box today, she was so happy when I asked 'what she like me to put on her snack box for today? ; no doubt she pointed to the muffin I made yesterday afternoon.  It was funny moment , while she entered the kitchen after school yesterday !! She said.. "ooh, what a wonderful muffin, I want get 1 for my afternoon snack, what kind of muffin is this ?   I said "banana marzipan chocolate muffin"  -  she showed a funny expression, and said "oh... well, I'm not fan of banana"  ; aaaw ...  really ? since when she become a picky eater ? all right this is time for mom, show her trick .. . I reply again , " well... don't worry banana is just for a flavor like I put vanilla essence the other day, the main ingredient is CHOCOLATE CHIPS"

She said : "ok, I take one" .. after several minute, "ooh, you are right, I have a big chunk of chocolate chips, no banana slice ..this is so delicious, I want this for my tomorrow snack too"    Yeaaaaa... score for me !!

 

 

Banana Marzipan Chocochips Muffin

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
2 cups mashed overripe bananas (about 6)
3 large eggs
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 package (95gr) of Chocolate Cover Marzipan , chopped - I found this at ALDI
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup mini chocolate chips (6 ounces)

1. Preheat the oven to 350° and line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper or foil liners. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, melted butter, bananas and eggs; mix thoroughly. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until the batter is evenly moistened. Stir in the chocolate chips. 

2. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Bake for about 28 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Let the muffins cool for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a rack to cool completely.

Make Ahead The banana muffins can be wrapped in plastic and frozen for up to 1 month. Let thaw and toast in a 350° oven.

Nice Friday ...

 

We've been spoiled by the weather for almost 2 days, between 55F - 60 F everyday, it wasn't bad at all for winter . I try to enjoy the weather, before another polar vortex is coming on next week.. as the weather man said ..

With the nice weather and feeling good, I decided not to touch my sewing machine today but my mixer .. wuhuu ... baking a coffee cake and matcha macaroon *the recipe you can find it easily under the tag : baking, cake*

Everything done in the afternoon, took some pictures for my blog, and when I realize its time to pick up my little one from school . The school is near our house, and since the weather just nice, I decided just to walk.. it was nice walk, I met several parents, chat a little bit.. While I waiting outside, I took some pictures around.. it was really nice day ... can't complain, though ..

 

 

doesn't you like the color of the sky ?? so contrast with a yellow school buses

 

shortcut to home and pick some an interesting rock :)

 

 

have a nice weekend , every one.. xo



End of Journey

 

Aww .. what a dramatic title . But that is so true , after searching , trying so many banana bread recipes , now is come to the end of searching , I will never change recipe no more ... its so delicious, and still pretty much simple to bake .. the journey is end :P

Flour's Famous Banana Bread
Recipe : Joanne Chang

1 1/2 cup (210) gr unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 /2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup + 2 tbs sugar (230 gr)
2 eggs
1/2 cup (100 gr) canola oil
3 1/2 very ripe, medium banana, mashed
2 tbsp. crème fraiche or sour cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup (75 gr) walnut havles, toasted, chopped

Directions :
Position a rack in the center of the oven. Pre-heat the oven to 325 F. Butter a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan,

In a bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set a side

Using a stand mixer, beat together the sugar and eggs on medium speed for about 5 minute or until light and fluffy.

On low speed, slowly drizzle in the oil. Don't pour the oil in all at once. add it slowly so it has time to incorporate into the eggs and doesn't deflate the air you have just beaten into the batter. Add the banana, cream / sour cream, vanilla continue to mix on low speed just until combine.

Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour mixture and the nuts just until thoroughly combined. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.

Bake for 1 t0 1 1/4 hours or until golden brown on top,and the center spring back when you press it. Let it cool in the pan on a wire rack at least for 30 minutes .

The banana bread can be stored tightly wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or it can be well wrapped in plastic wrap and frozen up to 2 weeks.

Fun learning ❤️

 

No baking today, since I let my little one using my baking scale . She measure all her stuffed animals , and make a note for every one . It was fun learning for her, keep her busy and off course you will have a peaceful sunday morning a little bit. :)

And another quick update is .. kids still going to school for make up days after snow storm last week, so no long weekend for them ; Friday and next Monday supposedly day off but the school still want kids go to school. I assisted the valentine's party at my daughter class room last Friday, and typical of me .. always decide to make something in last minute... but I happy with the result .. new cosmetic bag for valentine's gift for my daughter teacher , well .. we as a parent not obligate to give present for valentine's party but since she turn 30 that day... so why not.. make something simple and add a little things :)

 

 

***update : eeks.. mother nature knows better than us, no school on Monday since freezing rain in the atmosphere .. wuhuu, another home schooling project will be given to little one. :)) **

 

 

Saturday gateaway ...

 

Saturday is always become our (mother + daughter) fun time . Starting with an early morning routine, daughter practice gymnastic , mom chat with a good friend while waiting for daughter to finish her tumbling . And the next we always do is visiting library , we love our headquarter library . The place is so big, book shell after book shell ; reading area ; kids area ; computer area ; special interest area and so and so ...   aaah, what they don't have just café to get a cup of coffee ... I think that should be a good idea ... eeew.. may be not .. because people will split the coffee and make a mess here and there.

 

One of my daughter favorite spot is a giant purple been bag ; she loves read and lay down there .. its a nice comfy place while mom try to digging some interesting book, what else if not a cooking book though..

 

 

We always end up with piles of books , sometime movie to bring it home . The headquarter always provide plastic bag with special print out that we can get for free or purchase another bag for just $1 - well, since I crazy in love with hexagon patchwork lately, I made library bag for her ...

 

 

 

I saw this bag about year ago from Amy-Nana Company blog, she made the bag so beautiful, since than I keep on my mind, someday I must to make one for my daughter too.  And I did it !! I finished made on Saturday morning, right before we start our activity . She loves it ...  but I still thinking that is not the good one, I still need to practice more to make it even better.

 

 

 

That is our weekend gateway, how about you ?

 

 

 

 

Friendship

 

Have you ever 'meet' someone online but become closer than ever ? I do ... !! I have and 'meet' several people online , never meet in a real life but our friendship grow big and big .. well, if I can tell that even better that a real person that I meet daily actually. I don't know why, maybe because I am a shy person so I feel more comfort meet people online .. 

Yesterday, someone made me cry by sending a beautiful package full with a lovely stuff. I never meet my dear friend Chase, but tough our friendship is grow nicely every time we share story through e-mail . She is nice and caring person , hopefully someday I can be able to meet her and have a cup of tea .. maybe .. hopefully ..

I hope your life going to be wonderful too, my friends reader .. thank you for visiting my blog daily ..

 

And since today is Friday, is should be nice to bake some cake before we heading another cold weekend. well .. I chose pretty simple recipe, BUT ... don't ask the taste of the cake.. it's very delicious and very moist , maybe because of the blueberry inside of the cake itself make the cake taste so different.. let's try

 

 

Blueberries Pound Cake

Ingredients

6 eggs, separated (do this while the eggs still cold)

1 cup butter, softened

3 cups of sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 cup fresh blueberries (if using frozen, use without thawing do avoid discoloring the batter)

    

Directions

1. Let eggs stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the extracts and butter flavoring. Combine flour and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well after each addition. In another bowl and with clean beaters, beat egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form. Fold into batter. Fold in blueberries.                        
2. Spoon into a greased and floured 10-in. tube pan. Bake at 350° for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Yield: 16-20 servings.

Cheese Puff / Gougeres

 

These little cheese puffs are atraditional French hors d'oeuvre - Most recipes for gougeres call for Gruneyere cheese, but any dry aged cheese will work as well, such Parmigiano-Regiano. It's very easy baking , though .

 

Cheese Puffs

Ingredients :
1 cup water
1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 cup butter, sliced
1 tsp sugar
1 cup flour, sifted
4 eggs
3 ounces dry age cheese
1 tbsp paprika (optional)
1 egg white plus more as needed


Combine the water, salt, butter and sugar in a sauce pan, and bring to a simmer over high heat. There is no need to stir. Turn the heat down to medium and add the flour all at once. Stir with a wooden spoon, for about 3 minutes. or until the mixture forms a cohensive mass and pull away from the sides of the pan.

Transfer the panade to a bowl or a stand mixer and beat it a wooden spoon or the paddle attachment for aboout 1 minute, or until slighty cooled.

Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time, until you've add 4. Check the consistency of the batter if you are mixing in a stand mixer, you will know you have add the right number of eggs when the dough pulls away from the paddle attachment in a thick rope.

Pre heat the oven to 425F. Grate the cheese finel, you should have 1 cup. Reserve 1/4 cup and mix the rest into the dough with a wooden spoon. Min in the paprika , if you use it.

Fill a pastry bag fitted with a plain tip with dough. Pipe the pastry in dollops about 1 inch apart, in staggered rows.

Brush the gougeres with egg wash and smooth off the tops with brush. Sprinkle with reserved cheese. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve as soon as possible, they can also be frozen and gently reheated.