※ Choc chip Banana Muffins with Maple Sugar & Cinnamon Crust

Those who know me well know I'm obsessed with trying new ingredients. I found maple sugar online and had to buy it. 
I've used it on pancakes before but thought it would be better in and on baking.

Maple sugar is a type of sugar that is prepared with the sap from a maple tree. 

To produce it, the sap is boiled until almost all of the water has been removed from it and the remaining product has crystallized. The sugar can be sold in large blocks, molded into small shapes or simply ground into a granulated version that can be used like regular sugar. It has a strong maple flavor and aroma to it, just like maple syrup.Maple sugar can be used in recipes in the same way as cane sugar is used.

It can be used to sweeten drinks, top oatmeal or incorporated into a flavorful rub for meats. 

When using maple sugar in baking, it acts just like regular granulated sugar and can be creamed with butter for cookies and cakes. It is almost twice as sweet as regular sugar, so when using it in a recipe that calls for regular sugar, you will want to reduce the amount of sugar slightly so that your finished product isn’t too sweet.

You can reduce it by as much as half, but since you want the maple flavor to remain pronounced, it can be a good idea to use slightly more than half and adjust as you go.

INGREDIENTS (serves 12)

• 60g butter
• 2 cups self-raising flour
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 cup (200g) choc bits
• Tablespoon of maple sugar
• Tablespoon of cinnamon and sugar mixed together

METHOD

• Preheat oven to 200°C. 
• Line a medium muffin tray (12 sections) with paper cases. 
• Melt butter in a small saucepan or heat-proof bowl in the microwave. Set aside to cool slightly. 
• Sift flour into a mixing bowl. Stir in sugar. Make a well in the centre of dry ingredients.
• Using a whisk, lightly beat milk, eggs and butter in a jug. 
• Add to dry ingredients, along with mashed banana. 
• Using a wooden spoon, gently mix ingredients until just combined. 
• Stir in choc bits. Don't beat the mixture or the muffins will be tough. 
•  Spoon the mixture evenly into the muffin cases, then dust with Maple sugar & then cinnamon sugar. 
• Bake for 20 minutes or until firm on top when lightly touched. 
• Leave in the tray for 3 minutes. 
• Transfer the muffins to a rack to cool.