“Last of the Holidays” Muffins
One Dozen Muffins
1 cup fresh cranberries
2 clementine oranges
3 Tbsp dark cocoa powder
1 ½ Tbsp instant espresso powder
3 Tbsp boiling water
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup light (or dark) brown sugar – I prefer dark
2 tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp Kosher salt
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp cinnamon
2 cups mashed banana (usually around 4 bananas)
1 tsp vanilla paste
1/3 cup vegetable oil
¼ cup Greek yoghurt
2 large eggs, room temperature
Optional – sliced almonds and granulated sugar for topping
1) In a food processor, pulse the cranberries and one clementine into a coarse mix. Scrape into a small bowl and set aside.
2) In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa and instant espresso. Add the boiling water and stir into a paste. Set aside.
3) In a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, mix together the two sugars. Zest the remaining clementine over the sugars and mix to combine. Add the flour, baking powder and soda, salt and cinnamon. Mix to evenly combine.
4) In a glass bowl, mash the bananas. Add the vanilla paste, oil, yogurt and the 2 eggs. Whisk to combine. Add the banana mixture to the dry mix in the standing mixer and mix together until just combined. Do not overmix! Remove one cup of the batter and add it to the chocolate mix. Fold together until evenly combined. Let both batters rest 30 minutes.
5) Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line your muffin tin with tall parchment liners.
6) Fold the cranberry mix into the plain batter. Spoon 6 Tbsp of this batter into each parchment liner. Then spoon 3 Tbsp of the chocolate batter into each parchment liner. Top with another 3 Tbsp of the plain batter. Sprinkle a few almond slices and a dash of granulated sugar on the top of each muffin.
7) Bake for 7 minutes at 425, lower the temperature to 375 and bake for another 15 minutes until a peak has formed on each muffin. Let the muffins cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before serving.
