Kiwi and Coconut Muffins and a Quiz

It's been a while since there was a quiz at Food Blogga. Are you ready? I'm warning you, if you thought the GRE was hard, wait until you get a look at some of these questions.

1. Which of the following is true about the name "kiwi"?
A. It is the presumed name of Gwenyth Paltrow's next baby, whose daughter is named Apple.
B. It is the name of a new ipod that stores recipes.
C. It is both the name of a flightless bird and the national symbol in New Zealand and replaced the fruit's original name, "the Chinese Gooseberry."

2. All of the following are true about the kiwifruit except:
A. It's an edible fruit that grows on a vine.
B. It's rich in vitamin C, fiber, antioxidants, and even omega-3 fatty acids.
C. It's on the list of endangered species.

3. _______ is the leading producer of kiwifruit in the world today:
A. New Zealand
B. Alaska (and there are people who deny global warming)
C. Italy

4. ________will happen if you eat the skin of a kiwifruit:
A. You'll start referring to all of your friends as "mate" and talk with a New Zealand accent.
B. Nothing, it's edible.
C. Your stomach will begin to sprout unsightly fuzzy hair. Then you'll have to visit Jeff's derm blog to find out how to remove it.

Read on for the answers.



Just when I thought fava beans had a lot of names, along comes the kiwifruit (kiwi) originally known as the Chinese Gooseberry. It's also known as the Macaque peach, the vine pear, the sunny peach, the hairy bush fruit, and my personal favorite, "strange fruit."

Call it what you will. Just make sure you eat these edible berries. The kiwifruit is the edible berry of the cultivar group of the woody vine Actinidia deliciosa and hybrids between this and other species in the genus Actinidia, which is native to Shaanxi, China. But who doesn't already know that?

Kiwis are grown in mild climates all over the world. Surprisingly, New Zealand is not the leading world producer of their famed fruit. The land of pasta, balsamic vinegar, and buffalo mozzarella is --Italy. Though I wouldn't recommend eating kiwi with any of the aforementioned foods.

Kiwis are both delicious and nutritious. With a flavor that tastes like a mix of citrus, grapes, strawberries, and bananas, a kiwi is both sweet and tart. Though the hairy outer skin is edible, I'd advise against eating it. That is, unless you really need the fiber -- a kiwi's fiber is tripled with the skin on. If you do eat it, then have a new container of dental floss at the ready. You'll need it.



Kiwis are highly nutritious: 2 kiwis are just over 100 calories and provide over 280% of your daily vitamin C needs! They're also a good source of cancer-fighting antioxidants, vitamin A, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids.

Kiwis are ideal in fruit salads, but they're also wonderful in savory salads, salsas, and smoothies. If you've never baked with fresh kiwifruit, then get ready to be pleasantly surprised with these Kiwi and Coconut Muffins. Made with light coconut milk, orange blossom honey, and orange zest, they're remarkably moist and enticingly aromatic. Each bite is punctuated with juicy fresh kiwi and crunchy coconut topping. After finishing one, you may just find yourself saying, "Hey, mate, how 'bout another?"

Kiwi and Coconut Muffins
Made with light coconut milk, orange blossom honey, and orange zest, these muffins are remarkably moist and enticingly aromatic. Plus, each bite is punctuated with juicy fresh kiwi and crunchy coconut topping.

Makes 12 regular size muffins
Print recipe only here.

Muffins:
2 kiwis, finely diced (about 3/4 cup)**
2 cups all-purpose flour (or half AP and half whole wheat)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup light coconut milk
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 large egg and 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon orange zest
3 tablespoons orange blossom honey
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup toasted sweetened shredded coconut

Topping:
3 tablespoons sweetened shredded coconut


Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Spray a 12 mold regular size muffin pan with cooking spray.

Peel kiwis. Dice and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In a separate bowl, whisk together coconut milk, melted butter, and eggs. Add the orange zest, honey, and vanilla extract, and whisk until just combined. Add to the flour mixture, and stir quickly until well combined. Fold in the kiwis and toasted coconut. Spoon the batter evenly into the 12 molds.

Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with 3 tablespoons shredded coconut.

Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for 5 minutes before removing each muffin and placing on a wire rack to cool.

** Use kiwis that are ripe yet still somewhat firm. If they're squishy, then they'll be too watery in the muffins. Also avoid adding more than 3/4 cup as it could make the batter too wet.

You might also like these fruity baked goods:

Honeyed Orange Ginger Muffins (Quat, Optional)




Low-Fat Lemony Medjool Date and Pomegranate Scones




Pear and Cardamom Cake




The Best Ever Pineapple Upside Down Cake





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Banana Bread with Toasted Coconut and Almonds

Which of the following is the most frequently consumed fruit in the world?

A. bananas
B. mangoes
C. strawberries
D. apples
E. All of the above

If you picked "E," don't feel bad. Just pour yourself another cup of coffee and try again.

I always thought it was bananas, but it's actually mangoes. If you chose "bananas," I'll give you half credit since they're the most consumed fruit in the United States.

Since bananas are only 19 cents each at Trader Joe's, I always have a huge, happy yellow bunch in my fruit bowl. Since they're only 19 cents each, I also have a lot of brown, speckled bananas in my fruit bowl.

What's not to love about bananas? They're fast, easy, non-messy energy food. At only 100 calories per fruit and no fat, they're also a great source of potassium, Vitamin C, and fiber.

The greatest thing about bananas though is that you never have to throw one away. If it's too ripe to eat out of hand, you can toss it in a smoothie, freeze it for a snack, or, best of all, make banana bread.

Banana bread surfaced in American kitchens in the 1930's, at the same time that baking soda and baking powder were becoming popular leavening agents (instead of yeast) for quick breads. By the 1960's, banana bread's popularity burgeoned, and cookbooks commonly listed multiple recipes for it.

Apparently, we have the Australians to thank for introducing chocolate into banana bread -- I always thought my mom invented that on a particularly inspired baking day in the '80's.

Banana bread is so popular, it even has its own Wiki page. (How else would I have gotten all of this information?)


Even though the blogosphere is teeming with banana bread recipes, this one's too good not to share. Made with aromatic toasted coconut, crunchy almonds, and creamy coconut milk, it's one unforgettably moist, delicious banana bread. So I'm submitting it to the lovely Gretchen Noelle of Canela and Comino, who has selected quick breads for this month's Homegrown Gourmet.

What's your favorite way to make banana bread?

This recipe is adapted from Dorie Greenspan's Lots-of-Ways-Banana Cake, in her cookbook, Baking: From My Home to Yours. Note: You can lighten both calories and cholesterol in this bread by substituting Smart Balance for butter, Egg Beaters for eggs, and light coconut milk for regular. I have made it both ways, and they're both delicious.


Banana Coconut Almond Bread
Print recipe only here.

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 sticks (12 Tbsp) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk
4 very ripe bananas, mashed (about 2 cups)
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, toasted
3/4 cup coarsely chopped almonds, toasted

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat two 9 X 2-inch round cake pans, or five 6-by-2 3/4-inch mini-loaf pans with cooking spray.

To toast the coconut, place in a dry skillet over medium heat, and gently stir until aromatic and golden brown, about 2 minutes. Keep your eye on it since it burns quite quickly! Remove from heat and set aside.

To toast the almonds, place in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly toasted, about 5-7 minutes.

In a medium size bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon together.

In a large bowl, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugars and beat at medium speed for a couple of minutes. Add eggs, and beat well. Add the vanilla and coconut milk, and beat until batter is silky. Lower the speed, add the bananas, and beat briefly.

Add the dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients, and mix until just incorporated. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir in the coconut and almonds. Divide the batter evenly between the pans.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the cakes are a deep golden brown. You'll know they're done when a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Transfer the cakes to a rack and let cool for 10 minutes, then unmold and invert onto another rack to cool to room temperature right side up.

You might also like:
Chestnut Pancakes with Pancetta and Creme Fraiche
Coconut Lemonquat Tea Cake
Heart Healthy Date, Fennel, and Pistachio Scones
Olive Oil Cake with Rosemary and Lemon

Some other delicious banana breads:
Banana Maple Pecan Bread from Marisa of Slashfood
Banana and Nutella Cake from Bleeding Espresso
Banana Bread with Chocolate and Cinnamon Sugar from Tinned Tomatoes
Banana Chocolate Walnut Bread from The Wednesday Chef

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Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons

OK, I have now described over 150 Christmas cookies. I have loved every minute of it, but honestly, I cannot think of another synonym for "delicious," "chocolate-y," "chewy," "festive," or "sweet." I've been to Thesaurus.com so times, they have mailed me a thank you letter.

So here's a short and sweet submission to my cookie event (my Hello Dollies are posted here).

Coconut macaroons--pre-baked.


Coconut macaroons--baked.


Coconut macaroons--dipped in chocolate.


Coconut macaroons--chocolate now dry.


Coconut macaroons--on a dish.


Coconut macaroons--eaten.


Eat coconut macaroons. They taste good.


Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons
Makes 25-30 cookies
Print recipe only here.

14 ounce bag of sweetened, shredded coconut
2/3 cup sugar
6 Tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
4 egg whites
1 tsp pure almond extract

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, place coconut, sugar, flour, and salt. Mix by hand until well blended.

In a small bowl, combine egg whites and almond extract. Stir the egg-almond mixture into the coconut mixture until it becomes thick and sticky.

To form cookies, use a tablespoon (coated with cooking spray) to scoop up the cookie mixture and round it out with the palm of your hand. Slide the cookie off the spoon on to the parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake at 325 degrees F. for 20-25 minutes, until the tops become light golden brown. They should be crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. Remove from tray and let them cool on a rack for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the chocolate by placing 10-12 ounces (about 2 cups) of chocolate of your choice in a double boiler. If you don't have a double-boiler, like me, then fill a small, deep pan with water and bring to a low boil. Place a glass Pyrex bowl over the simmering water, but not touching the water. Add the chips to the bowl. As soon as the chocolate begins to melt, remove the pan from the heat and stir the chocolate with a spoon until it becomes smooth and silky. Note: If the heat is too high or you leave the chocolate on the heat too long, it will become thick frosting (I speak from experience).

Dip one half of the cookie in the melted chocolate, letting excess drip back into the bowl. Place on a rack and allow to cool completely before serving.

You have 5 more days to submit your cookies and become eligible to win Sherry Yard's delicious new cookbook. Click here for details.

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Hello Dolly Cookies and Memories of Christmas in the Basement

Spending countless hours trapped in a cold, dimly lit basement -- that's what I remember about Christmas.

In fact, it's my favorite memory of Christmas. I don't remember gifts I gave or received (except for my pink Huffy bike in 1979), but I do remember making Christmas cookies with my mom, which we did together for 20 years. Each year, it was a massive project that began in the market, moved to the kitchen, and was completed in the basement.

After numerous trips to the grocery store to buy obscene amounts of flour, sugar, butter, eggs, and chocolate, we would bake for 4-5 days straight, making about 2,000 cookies (that is not hyperbole).


Everyone got a tray of our cookies, including the paper boy. It got to the point that people would make special requests of my mom: please put more biscotti or pignoli cookies on their tray.

My mom never complained; she had the patience of a saint. Even when I added baking soda instead of baking powder (which I did) or dropped eggs down the front of the refrigerator (did that too), she never yelled. She always said something like, "That's alright, honey. It can be cleaned up." Then we would start the recipe over again.

By day three we were dwarfed by stacks of cookies. By day four my mom would begin fretting: “How will we ever get them all done?” Somehow we always did.

After we finished whipping and rolling and sprinkling, we took the finished cookies into the basement and started an assembly line on our old air hockey table. I assembled the trays, mom wrapped them in cellophane, then we'd decorate them with ribbons and name tags.

We would laugh and sing Christmas carols along with Bing and Frank and Rosemary on the radio. We did this till our backs ached and our feet swelled, then we did it some more, fueled by eating the occasional defective pepper biscuit or fig bar that did not make the cut.

My mom still bakes Christmas cookies, but on a much smaller scale. She even FedExes our favorites to us when we can't make it home for Christmas.

My all-time favorite Christmas cookie is the chewy, gooey, chocolately, nutty Hello Dolly. They're ridiculously easy to make (about 10 minutes to assemble and 30 to bake) and guaranteed to please.

They are my first entry for Eat Christmas Cookies. You may submit as many holiday cookie recipes as you'd like by December 24th, (preferably before December 17th so others have a chance to make them).

Click here to see the delicious submissions and here for details on how to participate.

Since a decorative tin filled with Hello Dollies beats the heck out of a sweater, consider giving them for a holiday gift. I'm submitting this to Zlamushka's Spoonful of Christmas, a festive event that asks you to share edible holiday gifts.

Hello Dolly Cookies (also known as Magic Bars)
Print recipe only here.

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups graham crackers (about 8 crackers), ground in a food processor
1 cup semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (or pecans)
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F or 325 degrees F if you're using a glass baking dish.

Melt butter in a small saucepan on the stove top.

Place graham crackers in a processor and pulse until they become crumbly. Combine them with the melted butter and place in an 8 X 8 baking dish, patting the crumb mixture down evenly with your hands. Layer the chocolate chips, coconut, and nuts on top of the graham cracker mix. Pour the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the entire mixture.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top is light brown.

Let cool completely before slicing.

Note: To make slicing the cookies easier, put the cooled baking dish into the refrigerator until slightly chilled. (Thanks, Mom!) Cut into bars or small squares (having a ruler isn't a bad idea). For Christmas trays, my mom places them in those miniature tinfoil coated cookie wrappers--they look festive and won't stick together that way.

Hello Dolly cookie bars are wonderfully versatile. Here are some delicious examples:

Valentina's recipe features a custard.
Lisa's includes cinnamon graham crackers and pecans.
Deb's recipe includes butterscotch chips.

By the way, if you haven't seen them yet, check out the editors' favorite holiday cookie recipes at epicurious.com. Just seeing those gorgeous pictures gets me in the mood to bake!



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