Banana, Poppy, Orange, Ginger and Chocolate Muffins

Ingredients

• 250 g plain flour or all-purpose flour
• 120 g caster sugar or granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• salt (two pinches)
• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons canola oil or sunflower oil
• 200 g buttermilk or plain yogurt (not Greek style)
• 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
• 2 balls stem ginger in syrup, roughly chopped (about 2-3 Tbsp once chopped, candied ginger)
• 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
• 2 bananas, peeled, sliced thinly into rounds (NOT mashed)
• 80 g bittersweet chocolate or milk chocolate, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons demerara sugar (Sugar in the Raw)

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 190°C/gas 5 (~375 F). Line 12 regular sized muffin tins with cupcake liners or parchment paper.

2. 2

   Sift the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and ground ginger into a large bowl with two pinches of salt (go easy on this).

3. 3

   In another large bowl briefly whisk together the egg, oil, buttermilk, orange zest and stem ginger. Add the mixed dry ingredients and poppy seeds until just combined.

4. 4

   Slice the bananas thinly into rounds. Set 12 pieces aside and fold the rest into the muffin batter, along with the chocolate.

5. 5

   Fill the prepared tins, then push a piece of the reserved banana into the top of each; sprinkle each with the demerara sugar.

6. 6

   Bake in the center of the preheated oven for around 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick tests clean from the center of the muffins.

7. 7

   Let cool for 10 minutes in the tins before removing to wire racks to continue cooling.