Flourless Chocolate Banana Mini-Cakes

For a speedy answer to a chocolate craving……

 

This recipe designed by my sister Sylvia has only 7 ingredients. It’s very fast and very easy. (Prep time: 5 minutes.)

Ingredients:

· 1 ripe banana

· 2 Tbsp. almond butter or cashew butter

· 1 egg

· 2 heaping Tbsp. good quality cocoa powder

· 1 Tbsp. maple syrup

· ½ tsp. vanilla

· 2 Tbsp. ground almonds (or your choice of chopped nuts ,chocolate chips, candied ginger, espresso powder etc.)

Whiz together the banana, egg, maple syrup, vanilla and almond butter into a smooth puree. Pour the mixture into a small bowl and stir in the cocoa powder and any additional flavour/texture enhancers such as nuts. Pour the batter into 2 microwave safe cups or 4 small (3 oz.) ramekins. Be sure to only fill the containers up to 2/3rds full. Microwave on high for 1 minute for the ramekins, or 2 minutes for the cups, or just until the center of the mini-cake is set.  If you don’t own a microwave, place the ramekins/cups in a hot water bath (bain-marie) in a 325 degree F. oven for about 15 minutes.

Carefully remove the little gems from their baking containers and enjoy with ice cream or whipped cream.

Editorial Note: The following day,  Sylvia made mini chocolate cheesecakes. They are equally simple. (1 block Cream cheese, 1/2 can dulce de leche sweetened condensed milk, 1 egg, 3 tbsp cocoa powder, tsp vanilla.  8 mini ramekins. 15 minutes in oven in hot water bath).