Chocolate Chip Banana Muffin with Chocolate and Espresso Ice Cream

Sweet way to start the day or always a perfect excuse for a snack.

Using my favorite muffin recipe and adding espresso ice cream to it.

Meanwhile, I’d like to share a fun project that I’m working on! Check My Dessert Diet on Facebook to follow me on FB and check out the shop for more!

Ingredients:

For Roasted Banana-Chocolate Chip Muffin:

• 1 1/4 cups bananas (approximately 3-4 ripe bananas)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup whole milk at room temperature
• 1 large egg at room temperature
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter (melted)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup Ghirardelli 60% cocoa bittersweet chocolate chips, chopped into small bits.

For Espresso Ice Cream:

• 1 cup whole milk
• 3/4 granulated sugar
• 2 cups half and half (divided)
• Pinch of salt
• 5 large egg yolks
• 2 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For Chocolate Glaze:

• 3/4 cup Ghirardelli 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon light corn syrup

Directions:

For Roasted Banana Muffin:

• Preheat oven to 400F degrees.
• Grease mini muffin pan and set aside.
• To roast bananas:
  • Make 3-4 inch slits along each banana and lay on baking sheet.
  • Bake bananas for 10-15 minutes or until the juice starts to run from the slits (the skins will turn black)
  • Remove the bananas from oven and allow them to cool.
  • Once cooled down, remove the peels from the bananas and mash them in a small bowl and set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• With whisk attachment on standing mixer, on medium speed, combine the milk, egg (first beat egg with fork in small bowl before adding to milk), and melted butter.
• Change out the whisk attachment to paddle attachment, on low speed, stir in mashed roasted bananas and pure vanilla extract.
• Slowly add flour and sugar mixture to the wet ingredients until fully combined.
• Use spatula to mix in chopped chocolate bits and mix to just combine.
• Pour mixture into each mini-muffin to 3/4 full and bake in oven for 10-13 minutes (toothpick test – the toothpick should come out clean).
  • Optional: Before baking, place a mini marshmallow in the center of each muffin (creates a nice sugar glaze on top).
• Alternatively, use a 12-tin tray and line with baking liners and bake for 15-18 minutes.

For Espresso Ice Cream:

1. In medium saucepan, combine milk, sugar, 1 cup half and half and salt on low heat.
2. Continuously stir until the sugar is dissolved and remove from heat.
3. Set milk and cream mixture aside at room temperature for 30 minutes (this step allows the mixture to cool down so it does not cook the egg yolks when combining them together).
4. In a large bowl, pour the other 1 cup half and half and place a fine mesh sleeve on top.
5.  In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolks together.
6. While continuously whisking egg yolks, pour milk and cream mixture into the bowl and continue to whisk until combined.
7. Pour egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan and turn stove on to medium heat temperature.
8. Continuously stir the mixture until the instant read thermometer temperature reads 180 degrees and mixture will thicken (will coat the back of spatula).
9. Pour custard through the fine mesh sleeve into the large bowl with other part of half and half at the bottom of the bowl.
10. Add instant espresso powder and pure vanilla extract.
11. Stir well and set aside for mixture to cool to room temperature.
12. Once cooled, place mixture into refrigerator for at least 8 hours through overnight.
13. When ready to churn ice cream, follow instructions from ice cream maker manufacturer (generally 15-20 minutes in the ice cream maker).
    1. Ice cream will appear more like soft serve after it goes through the ice cream maker.
14. Pour ice cream mixture into freezer-safe container to freeze the mixture to become a harder ice cream texture.
15. Store in freezer for at least 3-4 hours before serving.

For Chocolate Glaze:

• In a heatproof bowl over simmering water, combine the chocolate chips, butter and corn syrup.
• Stir with heatproof spatula until smooth.
• Ready to be used immediately.

Assemble:

• Use a serrated knife to cut off the top of the muffin.
• Use 1 tablespoon of chocolate glaze and pour on top of the bottom half of the muffin.
• Add one scoop of ice cream on top.
• Place muffin top back on top.
• Some fun additional toppings would be salted caramel sauce and whipped cream. See salted caramel sauce recipe in link.