These banana chocolate chunk muffins hail from The Clinton St. Baking Co. in NYC, and feature fresh banana and chocolate chunks for the ultimate treat.
4tablespoons(2 ounces) unsalted butter,room temperature
½cupsugar
½teaspoonvanilla extract
1large egg
½cupsour cream or plain yogurt
¾cupbittersweet (70% cacao) or semisweet (52-62% cacao) chocolate chunks(from about 3 ½ ounces chocolate)
2perfectly ripe or overripe medium-sized bananas,cut into ¾-inch chunks
Instructions
For the crumb mix: Combine the dry ingredients and then cut in the butter with your hands until you have pea-sized crumbs. Store crumb mix in the refrigerator until needed. It can be stored there for a couple weeks.
For the muffins: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 12 cups in a standard-size muffin pan, or line with paper muffin cups. Whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside.
In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on medium-high speed cream together the butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy, a few minutes. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula, add the egg and mix until smooth. Add ½ the sour cream, mix well, then add ½ of the dry ingredients, mix, add the remaining sour cream, combine and then finish off with the rest off the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks and bananas until evenly mixed.
Use a leveled off standard-size ice cream scoop (with a release trigger) to portion out batter into each of the 12 cups. Top each muffin with some of the crumb mix, distributing evenly.
Bake for 25 to 33 minutes, until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool for about 10 minutes or longer before releasing muffins from the pans. Serve at room temperature.
Notes
Chocolate chips can be substituted for the chunks.
The easiest way to cube the banana is to first cut it lengthwise into quarters (in half once, then each half in half). You'll have 4 long skinny strips of banana. Then chop the strips into approximately ¾-inch chunks (give or take).