 |
| Feijoa and crystallised ginger muffins—cosy, fragrant, and perfect for feijoa season |
Native to South America, the feijoa has well and truly made itself at home in New Zealand. The trees are everywhere now, tucked into backyards, lining suburban streets, and popping up in those slightly wild corners of older gardens. A unique, perfumed flavour arguably so prolific they're New Zealand's unofficial national fruit. Feijoa season always seems to arrive in a rush, too. One moment the trees are quietly minding their own business, and the next they’re dropping fruit faster than anyone can reasonably keep up with. It’s the time of year when every second house has a box of them out by the letterbox, and everyone instinctively knows to help themselves.
If you’re lucky enough to have a tree of your own - or neighbors who do - you’ll know how Feijoa season rolls: for a few short weeks they’re absolutely everywhere, and then suddenly they’re gone for another year. A bowl on the bench is constantly refilled, the fruit disappearing almost as quickly as it arrives, and that unmistakable sweet‑tropical perfume drifting through the kitchen every time you walk past. It’s one of those fleeting seasonal moments as we head into cooler months that feels uniquely Kiwi, and part of the joy is finding as many ways as possible to make the most of them while it lasts.
Part of the charm of feijoas is how short the season is - barely a few short weeks. That’s why I like to make the most of them while they're abundant. Some fruit gets eaten straight from the skin, some becomes a soft slice or a dessert, some go into jam or chutney, and some get tucked into the freezer for a little taste of autumn later in the year. But my favorite thing is conjuring up imaginative ways to use them in baking and desserts, where their fragrant, slightly tangy flavor really shines.
Feijoas pair beautifully with warm spices, ginger especially. The two together create a cosy, almost nostalgic flavour that feels just right for the cooler evenings creeping in. They also work well in desserts, where their brightness cuts through the richness and keeps everything feeling light.
The flavours here are a little more grown‑up, though you can easily skip the crystallised ginger if you’re making them for children. Early‑season feijoas work best, as their firmer flesh chunks keep their shape in the muffins. They’re lovely buttered and make great lunchbox fillers, too.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups wholemeal flour
- 1 cup plain flour
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- .5 tsp baking soda
- 1/8th tsp salt
- 1.5 cup milk
- Approximately 1 firm medium-sized peeled and thickly diced feijoa per muffin
- Approximately 8-10 pieces of crystallized ginger, finely chopped
- 1 egg, lightly whisked
- 50gms butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons golden syrup
- Paper muffin cases
Method:
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and crystallized ginger. Reserve some of the chopped ginger to sprinkle over the top of the muffins before cooking.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk and egg.
Gently melt the butter in the microwave, then stir in the golden syrup.
Whisk the butter–golden syrup mixture into the milk mixture.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
Line the muffin pan with paper cases.
Spoon or pour the batter into each muffin cup until about halfway full. Nestle the feijoa chunks into the batter. Add a splash more milk to loosen the remaining batter, then top each muffin with the rest not quite filling to the top.
Bake for 20–25 minutes or until the muffins smell fragrant and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Comments