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.

Matcha Macaron

Aaah, I tough my 'magic wand' is fade , since I never bake macaron for almost a year. .. surprise I still can make a perfect macaron ; you know when you talk about macaron mean you talk about "distinctive crust" and a "foot" of the cookies.  Is only 4 ingredients for sure, but there are number of ways to go wrong.  Macaron , a pretty simple cookies yet mysterious. Every thing must be perfect, time is so crucial when baking macaron - when you must to stop running the mixer, when you must to stop folded the batter etc.  But don't worry ; don't be intimidate .. just relax and bake macaron ; you will learn from your mistake.

 

Matcha Macarons

Ingredients :

1 1/2 cups whole almonds, with skin // this is work with hazelnut too

2 1/4 cup powdered sugar

3 large white eggs - room temperature ! ** MUST **

1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar

2 tbsp. of green tea powder

 

Chocolate Ganache for filling

10 ounces chocolate (62% or semi sweet) ; chopped

2/3 ounces sifted powdered sugar

3/4 cup heavy cream

2 eggs yolks

3 tbsp. unslated butter ; room temperature

 

Directions :

Line 2 baking sheet with parchment paper.

 

Divide almond and powdered sugar into half portion - Place almond and powdered sugar in food processor. Process 30 second,  until almond finely ground. Repeat the process with the remaining almonds and powdered sugar.

 

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine white eggs and cream of tartar ; whisk on high speed until very stiff peak from 3-4 minutes.

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold about 1/3 of the almond mixture into white eggs. Fold in the remaining mixture in two more addition, just until the ingredients are completely combine. Add the green tea powder. You don't want over fold too or your will have a running batter. (use your instinct, though..)

 

Fit a pastry bag with a medium plain round tip and fill the bag just a half of bag, don't put too much batter. Pipe 1-inch circle onto baking sheet. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hours, this allow the macaron to develop their base on the bottom {signature foot}

 

Preheat oven to 325 F - bake for 10 to 12 minute, transfer the baking sheet to wire racks and let it cool completely on the pans. Filled the shell with chocolate ganache or any kind of buttercream you prefer.

 

 

 

Making Chocolate Ganache

Combine the chocolate and powdered sugar in a heatproof bowl.

In sauce pan over medium heat, bring the cream to a gentle simmer. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, stir until sugar is dissolved.  Heat, stirring until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat.

Whisk the yolks in a small heat proof bowl. Pour about 1/2 cup of the melted chocolate mixture into the yolk. Pour the tempered mixture back into the pan of chocolate and whisk to combine. Add the butter and stir until smooth. Pour the hot ganache through a fine mesh sieve ito a clean heatproof bowl.

 

Use the ganache immediately

{custom cake}

 

As the temperature is still 'crazy' hot and humid is not easy to bake and décor the cake ; but I can't say NO when someone asked for home-made cake. Tough this cake is so appropriate for hot summer day :) 

this is 8inch - 2 layer lemon cake with fresh fruits topping with lite lemon vanilla icing covered with almond slices.

I only take an order for St.Louis - area only (e-mail me for your custom cake like this) ; the fruits topping is depend on fruit season.