Feijoa & Cream Cheese Muffins

Pondering what to do with loads of small-sized feijoa? Don’t let them go to waste – bake them skin-on in a delicious muffin. Feijoa & Cream Cheese Muffins get a big tick from me.

I love it, every season. Feijoa season is worth waiting for but be prepared, she’s an ‘all or nothing’ kinda fruit.

We have a beautiful of feijoa tree that did us proud last season and looking to do so again this year. We also have a high and very functional feijoa hedge that is used for privacy and a wind protector.

Last year the feijoa hedge just enjoyed the scenery. This year it is giving back generously and I hadn’t even thought to check on bud growth during summer, naughty me ignoring it so. As you can imagine, the hoards of ripe fruit fall came as quite a surprise as I strolled around the garden just this morning.

The hedge fruit are small, but there are plenty of them – the majority of the fruit is still left on the tree.

How to bake with small feijoas

Small feijoa are just as delicious as larger fruit, however when it comes to baking or preserving, when removing the skin it can feel that you are creating more waste than pulp, and adds to more preparation work. I’ve set myself a task to trial a few recipes that happily work well with skin-on feijoa, putting these smaller fruit to good use, skin and all.

Feijoa skin does bring a tangy, slightly tart element to baking, so for this recipe the addition of cream cheese delivers a nice surprise for the tastebuds. I don’t mind the tartness at all, in fact I enjoy it as much as the sweet aroma.

For this recipe, as I have done with other feijoa recipes using skin-on (such as Skin-On Feijoa Chutney), I wash them whole, cut off the bud end, then blitz them in a food processor. The result is a vibrant ‘salsa’ texture which I call uncooked chunky feijoa puree – not a smooth puree, but fine enough chunks so that the cooking process works efficiently.

Can you freeze feijoa?

Yes you certainly can freeze feijoa:

• freeze whole feijoa (skin-on, washed, pat dried and placed on a single layer in the freezer, thus not freezing together and becoming awkward to separate), or
• freeze as an uncooked chunky feijoa puree (frozen in one cup measures is handy in re-usable zip-lock bags).

Be aware though with the uncooked version once defrosted, it will oxidise and discolour, despite best attempts of squeezing lemon juice on it!

If you are planning to freeze them for the likes of a Feijoa, Date & Walnut Loaf, muffins or Feijoa Chutney, this really isn’t a problem as they will discolour as you cook them anyway.

Feijoa & Cream Cheese Muffins

Makes: 12 (these muffins can be frozen too)

Ingredients

• 1 cup of feijoa, chunky pureed (approx 5-6 small feijoa)
• 75g butter, softened
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups standard flour
• 2 tsp mixed spice
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 100g cream cheese

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line medium sized 12 cup muffin tray with square pieces of grease-proof baking paper.
2. Wash the feijoa whole (skin on) then cut off the bud end, leaving skin on. Slice into chunks then blitz in a food processor until resembles a chunky salsa. Measure one cup.
3. In another bowl cream butter and sugar, then mix in eggs and sour cream. Stir through chunky feijoa puree.
4. Sift flour, mixed spice and baking powder into the wet mix. Fold through well.
5. Spoon a generous spoonful of mix into each muffin mould. Cut a dab of cream cheese, dot it in the middle, top with more mix and a final dot of cream cheese (therefore, one dab in the muffin, one on top).
6. Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown.
7. Demolish without guilt.

PS: No sour cream in the fridge? Never fear, try Greek Yoghurt as an alternative.