Winter is the time for citrus in So. California. The kumquat trees are dripping with orange fruit and the girls pick more every day. Today I saw some lemons that had fallen to the ground when I was running so I rescued a couple and then picked a few oranges off our own tree and wanted to make some muffins. After glancing through my shelf of recipes books, I couldn't find anything like the idea I had in my head so I used an Alton Brown "Old-School Muffin" recipe as the basis for these. The citrus was subtle but good and the blueberries were a nice addition.
Instead of using the citrus juice in the recipe, I used the peel of the lemon and orange and put it in the food processor with the sugar until it looked like this:
I maybe should have pulled them from the oven a couple of minutes sooner but they were delicious!
Citrus Blueberry Muffins
makes 1 dozen
Ingredients:
1 lemon
1 orange
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup plain greek yogurt
1 egg + 1 egg yolk
2 1/4 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup blueberries
Step 1: Peel the zest of one lemon and one orange with a vegetable peeler (trying not to get too much of the white pith). Combine with 1/2 cup sugar in a food processor or mini chopper and pulse until well combined.
Step 2: Put that citrus sugar in a bowl and add vegetable oil, plain greek yogurt, 1 large egg, and 1 egg yolk. Whisk together until smooth.
Step 3: In a different bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
Step 4: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined (don't overmix). Add blueberries.
Step 5: Put batter into a greased muffin tin (makes 1 dozen) and bake in a 375 degree oven for 18 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.