Believe it or not, this recipe was a tougher job than we had thought. Not because the muffins were difficult to make, but because it took us forever to find the recipe! This is actually Zach’s recipe: one that he’s had for over 10 years. The problem with Zach, is that he tends to misplace things. This recipe was one of those things. We had to improvise, and put Zach’s memory to the test. We didn’t do half bad! We were able to figure this one out and the result was just perfect.
We skipped the nuts in this recipe and subbed in chocolate chips, not just any chocolate chips, but Ghirardelli dark chocolatey goodness. We didn’t stop there though, instead of your traditional butter, oil or applesauce; we added buttermilk into the mix. Sure you will need to add a touch of oil as well for a much moister muffin, but the buttermilk was the key ingredient in this muffin mix.
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Another key component in this recipe, was the brown sugar. Not just light brown sugar, but the dark stuff. If you’ve never worked with it before, it is indeed very rich, but it’s the perfect addition. We divided the sugar measurements to half granulated sugar and half dark brown sugar. We also finished these babies off with a brown sugar and butter crumble. Don’t skip this step! This is the most important part! What’s a muffin without a crumbly topping?!
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Although this recipe was a complete experiment in testing Zach’s memory, the result was pure perfection. I was a little worried as the muffins were baking. I may have filled the cups a LITTLE too much, but looking back, I wouldn’t have changed a thing. This just made the muffins bigger and better. Unfortunately, I may have to spend the day cleaning the oven, since there are brown sugar crumbles all over the bottom of the oven.
This is perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas morning if you are too busy preparing your other holiday fixings. It’s easy and quick and will keep your family and guests satisfied until lunch/dinner are ready! Try them this year, or just make them on a weekday and eat all 12 yourself, like I plan on doing.
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Ingredients
- 1 cup mascarpone cheese
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/4 cup confectioners sugar
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted + 2 tablespoons for cooking
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 2 bananas, sliced thin
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- confectioners sugar for garnish
- pure maple syrup
Instructions
- In a large bowl of your stand mixer (with whisk attachment fixed), combine the mascarpone, heavy whipping cream and confectioners sugar. Mix on medium speed until medium-soft peaks form. Gently stir in the maple syrup and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry, and stir with a heavy wooden spoon until smooth and "mostly" clump-free. A few clumps are ok. Stir in the melted butter.
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-low heat and add about a tablespoon of melted butter. Take a ladle and pour the batter into the skillet. As soon as you pour the batter, add slices of banana, a couple of chocolate chips and a couple of walnut pieces to the top of the pancake. When the pancake starts to "bubble" on top, flip and cook for 2-3 minutes more (about 7-8 minutes total per cake). Transfer to serving dish and repeat for the rest of your batter. Serve with maple mascarpone cream, sliced banana, confectioners sugar and maple syrup.
Notes
Hardware: * Stand Mixer (with whisk attachment fixed) * Measuring Cups * Measuring Spoons * Sharp Knife * Cutting Board * Mixing Bowls * Whisk * Heavy Wooden Spoon * Non-stick Skillet * Ladle * Spatula * Serving Dish *
