Baked Maruya is an oven-cooked and healthier version of the popular Filipino banana snack.
In reading this recipe, you’ll learn a way to make maruya at home without even frying it. So you are sure to be able to satisfy your cravings without a fret.
Included here are a couple of trivia about maruya and some variations you could try for your maruya at home.
What is Maruya?
Maruya is a type of fritter unique in the Philippines. A fritter, known in many countries, is usually a portion of a particular ingredient which is battered or breaded, and is commonly fried. It is is a popular food commonly eaten as a dessert or an afternoon merienda after school or after work. These fritters are a sure favorite among many Filipinos, young and old.
In the case of the maruya, they are made out of battered saba bananas and are usually thinly sliced and deep fried. They are sprinkled with sugar afterwards, making it a delicious sweet treat loved by many Filipinos.
Since saba bananas are widely available all around the country, it quickly became a popular treat everywhere, given also its health benefits. And the fun thing about bananas–is it has a lot of variety! It can be served in a lot of different ways, your imagination is the limit.
With this, so did the popularity of this banana fritter grow. It is indeed common to have the maruya cooked. But for this recipe, we are going to learn how to have this yummy dessert, baked! A perfect way to spend afternoons–with a sweet and special dessert, without the oiliness.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Saba or Plantains
It is important to keep an eye on the saba bananas, as it will largely differ when the bananas are ripe or not. If you are going to slice the bananas, make sure they are ripe and firm to avoid them from easily falling apart when baked.
Evaporated Milk
It is recommended to use a chilled evaporated milk to make the baked maruya crispier.
Aside from these, we will also be using other regular pantry ingredients like sugar, salt, vanilla extract, baking powder, eggs, and all-purpose flour. If you are filling up your pantry, here’s a handy shopping guide:
Equipment You’ll Need
- Oven- We will be using a convention oven to bake this dish. Any oven will do as long as the temperature can be set and it will fit your baking pan
- Baking Pan- The shape and size of the baking pan is up to you. You can even use llaneras or aluminum molds like we did.
In need of kitchen tools and equipment? Read this before you buy:
How to Make Baked Maruya
We’ve previously said here in the article that bananas in making maruya are sliced. But in this case, we are going to mash the saba bananas. Do take note that this is only optional. You can still opt for sliced bananas, but it is easier to bake the maruya mashed.
While preparing for the ingredients, be sure to preheat the oven to 175 C or 347 F to keep things a little more efficient.
So the first step is to put the bananas into a bowl and mash them. In another large bowl, grab the flour, baking powder, some salt and some sugar, and mix them all.
Gradually, add the other ingredients to the mix–the egg, vanilla extract, evaporated milk, and finally, the saba bananas. Mix them until they are well blended.
Prepare the baking pans and grease them with oil or butter. Afterwards, slowly pour the mixture into the baking pan. Bake in the preheated oven for about 45 to 50 minutes, or until the color of the maruya turns golden brown.
Remove the maruya from the oven and place in a container of choice, and allow to cool for a bit. As a topping, sprinkle sugar at the top to make things even more interesting. And as simple as that, you have your baked maruya!
How to Serve Baked Maruya
It is best to serve baked maruya as an afternoon snack. You can pair it with a drink of your choice like fruit juices, coffee, or hot chocolate.
How to Store and Reheat Baked Maruya
Baked Maruya can last up to 3 days in room temperature as long as it is properly stored in a covered food container. To last longer than this, you can place it in a refrigerator.
To reheat, you can either use a microwave oven or use a conventional oven again. Preheat the oven at 175 C or 347 F and reheat for about 5 minutes.
Other Banana Recipes
For a quick reference about this recipe, see the recipe table below:
Baked Maruya Recipe
Equipment
- Oven
Ingredients
- 3 cups ripe saba bananas, (plantain bananas)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar, (depends on your taste)
- 1 pc egg
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 175 C or 347 F.
- Mash ripe saba bananas in a bowl using a masher or fork.
- In a mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients.
- Grease your baking pans with oil or butter and pour-in the mixture.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
- Transfer to a serving plate and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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