Calamansi Pistachio Muffins

I grew up with calamansi, or calamondin, which is, according to Wikipedia, a hybrid of citrus and kumquat.  We always had calamansi in the kitchen, whether for drinking (juice), or for cooking, or for seasoning on the table.  It has a different taste from lemon or lime, but it is definitely sour.

Anyway, just recently the food garden turned out a bumper crop of calamansi (both regular and variegated) and they were turning yellow fast so I had to figure out a way to use them!  I'd been eying a recipe for calamansi muffins in the book "Bake Me a Cake" and I thought a bumper crop of calamansi that was ripening very fast was a good reason to finally bake a batch! 

Of course, I couldn't help but make a few changes... first of which was to add chopped pistachio nuts!

An accidental "change" is the number of eggs... since I only had 2 pieces of super jumbo eggs, that's what I used, even if the original recipe specified 3 eggs.  I also added some calamansi zest... and I followed my usual method for mixing muffin batter...

How I made these muffins...

1-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda 
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
zest from 2 large calamansi
2 pieces super jumbo eggs (original recipe called for 3 whole large)
1/3 cup fresh calamansi juice
3/8 cups low fat milk
1/2 cup chopped pistachios

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together; set aside.  Rub calamansi zest with sugar; let stand a few minutes.

Cream butter with sugar; add eggs, calamansi juice and milk.  Add the flour mixture in 3 parts; mix only until just combined.

Spoon into prepared muffin tins (about 22 midi-muffins) and sprinkle chopped pistachios on top (lightly press down so nuts will adhere).  Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

(Note:  a friend of mine suggested that a glaze would take the muffins over the top...)