Heart-shaped muffins with bananas and chocolate

Heart-shaped banana and chocolate muffins – a delicious recipe, perfect for Valentine's Day or any moment when you want to sweeten the atmosphere. These fluffy muffins, with an intense taste of bananas and chocolate, are not only easy to prepare but also a true delight for the taste buds.

Total time: 45 minutes
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes
Number of servings: 12 muffins

Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 4 very ripe bananas (the riper they are, the sweeter the puree will be)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest (for a fresh note)
- 1 packet vanilla sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- A pinch of salt
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 50 g chocolate chips (you can use dark, milk, or white chocolate, depending on your preference)

Instructions:

1. Preparing the ingredients: Start by preheating the oven to 180°C (350°F). Then, prepare a muffin tin by greasing it with butter or using paper muffin liners.

2. Mixing the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, add the sugar, whole eggs, vanilla sugar, and orange zest. Mix everything with an electric mixer until the mixture becomes frothy and doubles in volume, which will ensure a fluffy texture for the muffins.

3. Adding the butter: Pour the melted and cooled butter into the egg mixture and continue mixing until everything is well integrated.

4. Preparing the banana puree: In a blender, mash the four bananas until you obtain a smooth puree. This will add moisture and sweetness to your muffins. Add the banana puree to the egg and butter mixture and mix again.

5. Incorporating the dry ingredients: In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet mixture, stirring with a spatula or wooden spoon until combined. Do not overmix; just combine the ingredients.

6. Adding the chocolate: Finally, gently fold in the chocolate chips into the batter.

7. Filling the muffin cups: Use a spoon or an ice cream scoop to fill the muffin cups up to 3/4 full. This will allow the muffins to rise beautifully during baking.

8. Baking: Place the tray in the preheated oven and bake the muffins for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

9. Cooling: Once the muffins are baked, remove them from the oven and let them cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

10. Serving: These heart-shaped banana and chocolate muffins can be served plain or dusted with vanilla sugar. A delicious idea is to serve them alongside a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of sweetened cream cheese.

Useful tips:
- Use very ripe bananas, as they are sweeter and have a more intense flavor.
- If you want to add a crunchy note, you can incorporate chopped nuts or hazelnuts into the batter.
- The muffins stay fluffy and delicious for a few days when covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container.

This heart-shaped banana and chocolate muffin recipe will not only impress your loved ones but will surely become a favorite in your everyday sweets. Enjoy them with tea or coffee and savor every bite!