matcha mini muffins with sweet adzuki bean paste

Seriously couldn't help myself!

This is what happens when you have a new toy in the kitchen.

Why, oh why did it have to be a mini muffin tin!

So, I guess if I'm going to make a sweet, I'd better make it some what healthy.

I had been wanting to try adzuki bean paste with these adzuki beans I recently purchased. 

Traditionally the bean paste requires a lot of sugar, but I've kept the sweetener to a minimum - you could add more sugar if you wanted.

As it's a bit of an Asian sweet, I thought it may be interesting to pair the adzuki beans with some matcha green tea powder.

Then I had this thought of mini muffins filled with the sweet bean paste.

So, that's where I came up with these matcha mini muffins with sweet adzuki bean filling.

They turned out great! I was really surprised and pleased with this creation.

Joel says he's confused by the muffin.

Ingredients

(makes 12 mini muffins)

Adzuki Bean Paste

1 c adzuki beans, soaked for 8-12 hours and drained

10 drops of stevia

1/4 c coconut sugar

Put the soaked beans in a heavy based saucepan with about 2-3 cups of water.

Bring to the boil and simmer for 1 hour*.

Remove from heat and drain excess liquid off, keeping an inch of water in the bottom of the pan.

Add the sugar and stevia, stir through until sugar is dissolved.

Using a fork or masher, mash down the bean mixture until it resembles a thick paste.

Set aside to cool.

*you will need to check the water level, adding more water if needed to ensure the beans don't burn.

Muffin Batter

1 organic free-range egg

1 tsp matcha powder

1tsp vanilla

8 drops stevia

2 tblsp coconut sugar

1/4 c self raising flour

Heat oven to 150 degrees.

Beat the egg until thick and creamy.

Add the remaining ingredients and beat until a thin batter-like consistency.

To assemble

Spoon approximately one heaped teaspoonful of the matcha batter into a non-stick mini muffin tray*. 

Next spoon a teaspoon of the adzuki bean paste** on top of the batter.

Then, divide up the remaining batter and pour over the bean paste.

Bake in oven for about 15 mins.

*If using a tray that is not non-sick, spray with olive oil first.

**If you find that you have left over paste, you can freeze it easily.

yummm xo