Plantain Muffins - #MuffinMonday

I may be the slowest person in the kitchen ever. No matter how much I try to streamline the process, I seem to always end up spending all day in the kitchen. The other day my baking to-do list included potato rolls, Food Lust People Loves's carrot cake, brownies, and these plantain muffins. Knead, autolyze, cook, mash, mix, shape. It was a very long day. When I grabbed one of these muffins and took a bite, the achy feet did not seem to matter anymore. They were amazing.

When I told my friend that I was going to make plantain muffins, she seemed a bit skeptical. But I persisted. We all enjoy banana muffins, why not plantain muffins? How could that possibly be bad? It cannot be. That's the answer to that.  Plantains are a breakfast favourite here. I love them twice-fried aka tostones. But the really ripe ones aren't the best for tostones as flattening them gets a bit messy. But now I have found the perfect use for them, that is, if I am not just eating them raw or fried once.

As usual, be sure to check out all the other Muffin Monday recipes below!

Plantain Muffins

(adapted from Alton Brown's Banana Bread)

Yield - ~8 muffins

Ingredients

180 grams overripe plantain (I got this from 1 plantain)

100 grams brown sugar

1 egg

60 millilitre (4 tablespoons) oil

125 grams flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F and thoroughly grease the wells of a muffin pan.

Mash the plantain with the one cup of sugar. Whisk together the egg and the oil then add to plantain mixture.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt.

Slowly combine the wet and dry mixtures, mixing until just combined. Don't overmix!

Fill each well about 2/3rds then bake approximately 18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool and devour.

• Apple Zucchini Muffins by Palatable Pastime
• Blackberry Lemon Thyme Muffins by Food Lust People Love
• Doughnut Muffins by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Key Lime Pie Muffins (two ways) by Sew You Think You Can Cook
• Lemon Muffins by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Whole Wheat Pear & Pecan Streusel Muffins (aka the Crack Muffins) by Farm Fresh Feasts
• Plantain Muffins by Passion Kneaded

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all our of lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board.

Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday, can be found on our home page.

Spicy Herb Monkey Bread - #BreadBakers

I have been struggling creatively for the last few months. I kept telling myself that I am just stressed out by all the things that have been happening. Additionally, there's the lack of availability of ingredients that I'd like to use. But the reason finally hit me as I was falling asleep last night. Yes, there's a fair amount of stress but that usually gets me in the kitchen more. Baking is after all, therapy. My real issue is that I am not being inspired by the things around me, the ingredients available right here. I keep thinking in terms of American ingredients, closing my eyes to what is available.

Take for example, this spicy monkey bread that I made for this month's Bundt Bakers. I used cayenne pepper in the herb oil. It was really spicy and absolutely delicious. But you know what would have been great too? Scotch bonnet peppers! Scotch bonnet peppers are not only spicy but have a unique flavour. Why didn't I reach for them? Just not thinking clearly.

Now that I have identified part of my problem, I hope that this creative rut will end. I'm looking forward to creating with the things around me - and not dreaming about ingredients that I can't get a hold of easily.

Thanks Sue for hosting this month's Bread Bakers! Remember to scroll down to see the list of other recipes this month.

Spicy Herb Monkey Bread

Ingredients

Dough (slightly adapted from King Arthur)

8oz water

12.75 oz flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons yeast

1 1/2 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons dry milk (I used full fat)

1 1/2 tablespoons oil (I used coconut oil)

Herb Oil

2 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 1/2 tablespoons oil

1 tablespoon dried herbs (I used thyme, oregano, chives and basil)

4 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

Combine all the dough ingredients and knead for 5 to 8 minutes. Dough will be soft but very tacky. Dough can be left to rise in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature until doubled.

While dough is rising, combine all the ingredients for the herb oil.

When the dough has doubled, divide the dough into approximately 32 pieces. Each piece should weigh about .75 oz.

Dip each dough ball into the herb oil and then place into a Bundt pan. I used a 9 cup capacity Bundt pan.

Pour any remaining herb oil on top of the dough balls. Cover the Bundt pan and let rise at room temperature until doubled.

When the dough has almost doubled, preheat oven to 375 F.

Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden. Turn out on a cooling rack. Serve warm.

Breads with Peppers

• Bellpeppers and Cheese Scones by Basic N Delicious
• Bellpepper and Paneer Stuffed Lattice Bread by Seduce Your Tastebuds
• Bell Pepper Stuffed Whole Wheat Buns by Sara’s Tasty Buds
• Capsicum Onion Pizza with Wholegrain Base by Ambrosia
• Cheddar and Jalapeño Scones by Herbivore Cucina
• Cheese Stuffed Peppadew Stuffed Buns by Food Lust People Love
• Crushed Red Pepper Grissini by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Fatayer Jebneh by Mayuri's Jikoni
• Green Chile and Cheddar Biscuits by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Hatch Chile Zucchini Bread by Magnolia Days
• Jalapeño Bread by Cook's Hideout
• Jalapeño Flour Tortillas by Hostess At Heart
• Jalapeño Sourdough Corn Bread by Baking Sense
• Msemen Maamer - Moroccan Flatbread Stuffed with Peppers by The Bread She Bakes
• Parmesan Cracked Pepper Beer Bread by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Pepper Pav Buns by Sizzling Tastebuds
• Roasted Red Pepper Bread by A Shaggy Dough Story
• Roasted Red Pepper Fougasse by Spiceroots
• Spicy Herb Monkey Bread by Passion Kneaded
• Whole Wheat Spicy Rolls by Gayathri's Cook Spot
• Vegetable Stuffed Braided Bread by My Cooking Journey
• Zucchini and Pepper Cornbread by Palatable Pastime

#BreadBakers is a group of bread loving bakers who get together once a month to bake bread with a common ingredient or theme. Follow our Pinterest board right here. Links are also updated each month on this home page.

We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient.

If you are a food blogger and would like to join us, just send Stacy an email with your blog URL to foodlustpeoplelove@gmail.com.