I’m indoors on a wet day

As I write this, the wind is howling outside the window and rain is driving almost horizontally at the house. If I close my eyes I can imagine I am tucked away in a remote log cabin, surrounded by woods, and shortly the rain will transform into gently falling flakes of snow. Sigh – I wish!

However, I can transport myself in my imagination and add to the effect by baking and eating these delicious banana, maple, walnut muffins, straight from the oven with a topping of gently melting maple butter.

The muffins are a twist on a banana loaf recipe and can also be cooked as a loaf. I love the gentle flavour of maple syrup with the soft oats and nubbly nuggets of walnut.

The maple butter is sweet (obviously) and you don’t need much, but the magical chemistry that sees it go from warm liquid to soft, pillowy clouds of mapley butter makes it well worth the effort.

The butter is also brilliant with pancakes or waffles with bananas and bacon, and has a pleasing, almost christmassy winter vibe.

BANANA MAPLE WALNUT MUFFINS

Makes: 10-11 Preparation: 10 minutes Cooking time: 25 minutes 4 ripe, medium bananas cup flavourless oil cup plain greek yoghurt cup caster sugar cup maple syrup 1 large egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 13⁄ cups self-raising flour cup rolled oats cup chopped walnuts Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line the holes in a 12 muffin tray with baking paper. To do this I cut large squares and poke them firmly into the holes, it doesn’t matter if the result is not particularly neat.

Mash the bananas in a large bowl. Add the oil, yoghurt, sugar, maple syrup, egg and vanilla extract and mix well to combine. Sift in the flour, add the oats and fold together with the walnuts.

Divide evenly into prepared muffin trays. The easiest way to keep things neat is to use an icecream scoop to drop in the muffin mix.

Bake for 25 minutes or until the muffins are golden, and bounce back when the tops are gently pressed.

Leave to cool in the trays for 5 minutes before removing.

Serve warm with maple butter.

MAPLE BUTTER

Makes: 1 cup Preparation: 5 minutes Cooking time: 8 minutes cup maple syrup 150g butter, roughly chopped Put the maple syrup into a small saucepan and bring to a gentle boil.

Cook for 8 minutes, then remove from the heat and add the butter, stirring to melt, until smooth.

Pour the mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer and beat for 8-10 minutes. During that time the mixture will cool and the consistency will become firmer and paler.

Spoon into a sealable jar, and once cool, store covered in the fridge.

The butter sets hard, so remove from the fridge half an hour before serving.