Spring Breakfast Surprise

Spring is here and Mr. Sweet Potato walked in with bananas and strawberries not knowing that I had just done fruit shopping too “What do I do with these” I exclaimed. “Bake” he said. “Isn’t it what you do when you see rotten bananas on the kitchen counter?” He was right. 

Bananas make an excellent binding agent and I use them instead of eggs. Not that I would avoid any food or ingredient. If you wish to lose my attention in less than a second you could tell me you are vegan or gluten intolerant. Say those words and my eyes will glaze over and a thoroughly disinterested stare will occupy my face.

 When I see the bananas going gradually mushy and increasingly consumed by black patches, I use them to bake muffins. This time with the strawberries added to the muffin mix they were extra moist with the surprise delight of a soft melting fruit in the center almost like a chocolate éclair with a liquid molten center. I also used a mild, full fat, plain yogurt to double the moisture. With all the fruits and yogurt the butter and sugar is cut by more than half.  

I chose a luxuriantly deep dark sugarless cocoa powder (Guittard) for the chocolate, banana and strawberry muffins. 

And finally the secret ingredient that elevates the muffin from regular to regal. I asked many to taste and guess the missing X in the equation of the moist and mighty muffins.  Mr. Sweet Potato and Ms. Dark Chocolate picked the common cinnamon. Ms. Lemon Meringue Pie took a bite of the chocolaty goodness and yelled excitedly  “There are flowers in them. Rose or Lavender…”
Yes it was a tablespoon of flowery and fragrant rose water that reminds you of Delacroix's extravagantly colorful paintings of women in Tangier.

Apparently a basket full of spring fruits, luxuriously rich deep dark cocoa, delicately fresh rose water and mundane all purpose flour and yogurt are a match made in muffin heaven. It made for a perfect spring breakfast. 
Bon Appetit!

1 cup of all purpose flour, 1/3 cup sugarless cocoa powder, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt

Mix dry ingredients thoroughly 

2 bananas, 1 cup full fat yogurt, 1/2 cup melted  butter, 1 tbs rose water essence

Mash bananas and mix wet ingredients together

Add wet to dry mix

Mix no more than 10 to 15 times very gently. Do NOT blend together.

Add 1/2 to 3/4  pound cut strawberries and turn another 5 times.

Into muffin cups 

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 min.

Until a knife plunged in the center of its heart exits without a mess

Enjoy your Spring Breakfast

With the soft, moist  surprise of strawberries inside. Bon Appetit!