• Servings: 18
• 4 over-ripe bananas
• 1-1/8 cup / 413 grams dark brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 cup / 178 ml canola or sunflower oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2-1/4 cups / 280 grams flour
• 1-1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1-1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Chinese 5-spice
• 3 ounces / 90 grams flaked almonds
• 3 ounces / 90 grams sugar
• 1 egg white

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF / 175ºC.
2. Combine all the wet ingredients and salt in a large bowl.
3. Tip all the dry ingredients into a medium bowl, whisking to combine, and then fold into the wet ingredients.
4. In a small bowl combine the flaked almonds and sugar, adding about half of the egg white, and discarding the rest. Stir gently to combine.
5. Prepare muffin tins using the butter and flour method or with baking cups. Fill muffin tins/baking cups and top with equal amounts of topping.
6. Bake until tops are golden and a cake tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 35-30 minutes.

My neighbor's son owns his own bakery specializing in pastries and suggested once that I make use a pastry topping called "victoriabeslag," which is essentially a blend of flaked almonds, sugar and egg white that bakes up sweet and crisp. I thought this would be a good opportunity to try it out and hopefully add a fancy twist and some crunch to this tasty, albeit plain, banana muffin.