Clementine Muffins

I was hoping to come across Clementines that were equally as fragrant and juicy as the ones I used to make the Clementine Chiffon Cake a few weeks ago.

 

This week I finally came across another good batch and decided to try a Clementine Muffin recipe recently placed in my recipes to try out file. 

 

Judging by the smaller measurement of ingredients listed, this recipe was obviously going to make a smaller batch of muffins.  This can actually be a good thing in case any adjustments are necessary.

 

I was a little concerned when removing them from the oven since they hadn’t taken on much colour making them look a little more like cupcakes than I would have liked.  What these muffins lack in colour is certainly made up for in taste and texture and even brought out the poet in me!

 

Ode to a Muffin

Six delicious muffins sitting on a rack.

One tasted for quality and became a snack.

So where are the other five I ask?

 

I actually didn’t ask any questions and just assumed they were that good!

 

 

Clementine Muffins

1 cup flour

½ cup sugar

1 egg

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1/3 cup milk

1. Zest and juice from 3 Clementines.
2. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
3. In a separate bowl wisk together egg, oil, milk, juice and zest.
4. Add wet to dry ingredients and stir just until combined.
5. Fill 6 to 8 muffin wells lined with paper muffin liners and bake in a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 15 to 17 minutes.
6. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.
7. Top with Clementine Glaze or Clementine Sugar.

Clementine Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

3 to 4 tablespoons clementine juice

splash of milk

1. Slowly add juice to powdered sugar and wisk until glaze comes together.
2. Add a splash of milk if mixture is too thick.

Clementine Sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

zest from 2 clementine

1. Mix sugar and zest together with fingers. 
2. While muffins are still warm dip tops into sugar mixture

 

Notes Tips and Suggestions

• Did a little research on why muffins didn’t brown and the only information or suggestion that answered my question or made any sense was to increase the oven temperature by 25 degrees.  Come to think of it most muffins I make are baked between 375 to 400 degrees F.  Various comments expressed if the muffin is cooked and delicious who cares if they don’t brown.  I’m not going to agree with that until I bake these muffins at 375 degrees to note any difference.  I still think some browning is better as it certainly can do wonders for taste and texture. 
• The recipe calls for the juice of 3 Clementines.  The ones I used were small but very juicy so how much juice do 3 Clementines give since size and juiciness vary?  Measuring the juice  squeezed out of my Clementines gave me 3 tablespoons.  This amount worked well so 3 tablespoons it is.
• Recipes for Clementine Glaze and Clementine Sugar are included with the recipe and suggested to glaze the muffins then top with sugar, both sounded good but I only used the Clementine Sugar after deciding using both would be a little too much.
• The zest from 3 Clementines in the batter seems to be excessive especially with the addition of more zest in the sugar topping.  Reducing the amount of zest to 1 ½ to 2  Clementines depending on their size would probably be more than enough.
• Instead of mixing the wet ingredients in a bowl, try giving them a whirl in the blender.  This mixes the ingredients well which in turn takes less time to blend into the dry ingredients preventing over mixed batter. The blender also incorporates air into the mixture resulting in a lighter, less dense muffin.

These muffins are absolutely delicious, light and flavourful and although my Notes, Tips and Suggestions are longer than the rest of the post, they are well worth taking note of.  You’ve just got to try them!