Mango and Banana Muffins with Pecan Nuts

7. April, 2009

There is something divine about mangoes, bananas and pecan nuts. Mangoes are used quite a lot in Africa and so are bananas, you see banana trees everywhere. My and my husband were once staying in a hotel in Zanzibar, Tanzania. The hotel was called Zanzibar Coffee House and it is fantastic (definitely recommended) there was even a coffee roaster for Jóhannes to admire, which he was so thrilled about. Each room was named after a type of coffee based beverages such as Macchiato, Espresso, Cappuchino and more. The rooms were absolutely beautiful and each morning we woke up to the sounds of Zanzibar, the markets, the people and the mosques. We had our breakfast (excellent home made breakfast) at the top of the hotel with views over Stone Town. We ate home made nut muesli, fresh fruits, waffles and bread and we drank freshly squeezed orange juice. We were in heaven. On the ground floor of the hotel you will find the best coffee house in Zanzibar and there is also freshly baked goodies such as cakes and muffins. I immediately noticed the mango muffin which was lovely and the lady serving behind the counter was so kind to tell me roughly what the ingredients were. If you are ever in Stone Town, you should definitely give Zanzibar Coffee House a try. Whenever I make these muffins I think of Zanzibar and all the wonderful sounds and smells I experienced.

I prefer to use a silicone muffins pan when making muffins. It is much easier to work with than a traditional muffins pan.

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These muffins always remind me of Zanzibar

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This recipe is:

Lactose (dairy) free

This recipe is easy to make:

Nut free

Mango and Banana Muffins with Pecan Nuts

Makes 12-14 muffins

Ingredients

275 grams (9¾ oz) mango, very ripe (weight measured after preperation)
200 grams (7 oz) spelt flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt (Himalaya or sea salt)
1 tablespoon aluminium free and gluten free baking powder
90 grams (3¼ oz) Rapadura (or other raw cane sugar)
2 bananas, very ripe
1 egg (please use free range eggs)
1 egg (please use free range eggs)
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
50 grams (1¾ oz) raisins or dates, chopped fairly coarsely
40 grams (1½ oz) pecan nuts (or walnuts), chopped finely

Preparation

Turn the mango up on the skinny side. The stone is a flat oval, so you will find your mangoes are narrower one way than the other in alignment with the stone. Cut off the "cheeks" of the mango, each side, as close to the stone as possible. If you hit the stone, just swerve around it a little. Now take a cheek and peel the skin off with a small knife. Repeat with the other cheek. Next peel the skin off the centre piece with the stone. Peel it all the way around and leave no skin on the edge. Carve off any extra fruit off the stone with a small knife. Chop the 275 grams mango very finely.
Peel the 2 bananas and mash them with a fork.
Chop the 40 grams pecan nuts (or walnuts) fairly coarsely.
Chop the 50 grams dates (if used), finely.
In a large bowl, sift together the 200 grams spelt flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and ½ teaspoon salt.
In a separate, medium bowl combine the 1 egg white and 1 egg, 90 grams raw cane sugar, 1 tablespoon agave nectar, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 tablespoon coconut oil and the mashed bananas. Mix well.
With a large wooden spoon, fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Do this swiftly and do not stir, only fold approximately 6-8 times.
The batter will look fairly ugly but this is fine since it will ensure that the muffins will be light.
Add the mango, raisins (or dates) and pecan nuts. Fold 3-4 times, very swiftly.
Lightly grease the silicon muffin pan with a few drops coconut oil and fill each cup two thirds to the rim.
Bake at 200 degrees Celsius/400 Fahrenheit/Gas Mark 6, for 20-25 minutes.
Remove the muffins from the oven and cool in the tins for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Let cool completely if using a silicone muffins pan as the muffins will be easier to remove.

Tips

You can use maple syrup instead of the agave nectar.
If the coconut oil is cold (in which case it becomes solid), place the jar in a bowl filled with hot water for a couple of minutes.
You can use whole wheat flour instead of the spelt flour.
You can use regular baking powder instead of the aluminium and gluten free one.
The easiest method for dividing eggs into egg yolks and whites is to crack the egg so that the yolk sits in one side of the shell. Then pour the yolk into your other hand, cradling the yolk in your fingers. The white should run safely away from the yolk. This might require some practise. It usually takes around 4-5 seconds for the whites to fully drip into the bowl. You can freeze the yolks for later use.
The muffins freeze well.