BANANA, PEAR & CHOCOLATE MUFFINS

Today I made some Banana, Pear, & Chocolate Muffins. I usually use ripe fruit that is a bit too ripe for eating on it's own (let a lone by a 5 year old) and chop it up to add to a muffin mix. And because my children are very fussy (yes, even the near one year old), I have to disguise fruit bits into some sort of tempting delight, hence the chocolate and chocolate chips throughout.  This way, there's a snack for all of us. And it keeps the pesky hunger away for the afternoon "I'm starving" bleats (from husband who comes home from an early start and kids alike -- me? well, I try to resist afternoon snacks!).  

Recipe
Banana, Pear, & Chocolate Muffins
(approx 12)

2 cups Self Raising Flour
1/2 cup Cocoa Powder
1/2 cup of Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup of Caster Sugar
1 cup of full cream milk
2 eggs (beaten)
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 ripe bananas (mashed)
1 ripe smallish pear (peeled, chopped/diced)

Sift all dry ingredients together (flour, cocoa, sugar), into a bowl. Add choc chips and mix through. In another bowl, mix wet ingredients: milk, beaten eggs, vanilla extract, vegetable oil.  Beat wet ingredients with a fork, then make a well in the dry ingredients', and pour into the well the wet mixture.  Mix through just until combined and there's no dry flour present. Then, add to this mix, the mashed banana and chopped pear.  Divide equally into patty cake/muffin  cases for a 12-hole tray . (Let  the 5 year old lick the spoon and bowl!!!)  Bake in a pre-heated oven of 180deg.c. for 15 minutes or until skewer comes out dry when inserted.  Let cool, then devour with a glass of milk (or my preference, a strong coffee).