Best Ever Gluten Free Banana & Chocolate Chip Muffins

Well that's what Ade said when he tasted these and particularly liked the "surprise" element of the chunky chocolate chips.  Made with soya flour, which I've never used before, as it was on special deal at the supermarket so thought I'd give it a go.  It worked well and the muffins had a lovely, light texture.  They are quite "healthy" as far as muffins go as use less sugar than usual because they get their sweetness from the banana and the chocolate. 

gluten free banana and chocolate chip muffins

Here's how I made them:

Ingredients:  (the yoghurt pot will also be your measuring cup)

1 small pot of yoghurt (I used a 125g peach yoghurt)

1 cup of vegetable oil (I used sunflower)

1 and a half cups of sugar

3 medium eggs

1 tsp vanilla essence

3 cups soya flower

1 tsp gluten free baking powder

1 medium (ripe) banana - mashed

100g bar of plain chocolate

(makes 12 very scrummy muffins)

• Empty yoghurt into a mixing bowl
• Add vegetable oil and sugar and stir well
• Lightly whisk eggs in a separate bowl then add to other ingredients
• Add vanilla essence
• Sift (or gradually mix) flour and baking powder into mixture
• Add banana (but do not over-mix)
• Next the noisy bit - keep the chocolate in the wrapper and bash with a rolling pin to break it up into small chunks - aim for about the size of a squashed raisin - some will be bigger and some will be smaller, but that's ok.  
• Add the chocolate to the mixture and pour into 12 muffin cases or silicone mould

• Bake in the centre of a pre-heated oven at 180-200 degrees C for 25 - 30 mins.  Oven temperatures will vary but you will know when they are cooked properly as inserting a clean knife into one of the muffins should come out clean.
• Remove from oven when cooked, leave to stand for 5 mins then cool on a wire rack