Ube Muffins

I found a half full jar of Mountain Maid Good Shepherd ube jam in the fridge. It was one of the two jars given by Pareng Pablo, Paul’s godfather, as pasalubong when he went to Baguio City a few weeks ago. The label alarmed that it was about to expire in three days! So I decided to bake some ube muffins so as to consume it faster and wouldn't turn to waste.

This brand of ube jam is well-sought after by tourists that visit Baguio City. They take time to stand in queues, especially during peak summer months of April and May, just to be able to take home a jar or two. Tourists and locals not only enjoy its delicious taste and smooth texture but they also are able to help the Cordillera Youth be sent to college each time the products are bought.

  The original recipe asked for honey and lemon zest. I substituted pancake syrup for honey and calamansi extract for lemon zest since both honey and lemon zest were unavailable. I consulted Google and found out that lemon juice/extract was a good substitute for lemon zest though would "never completely replace the real thing". I used to cook leche flan using calamansi extract as replacement for lemon extract so I decided to do the same. After the muffins were baked, I was looking for something odd in the taste but they turned out to be really delectable without the distinct sour taste of calamansi. I guessed the calamansi trick worked perfectly well after all. :)

Ingredients
1¾ cups Flour
½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2/3 cup fresh milk
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons honey or pancake syrup

2 eggs
1 teaspoon calamansi extract

1 cup ube jam

How to Bake
1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

2. In another bowl, lightly beat eggs, milk, butter, honey, calamansi 

    extract and honey. Pour into the dry ingredients and the stir until 

    moistened.

3. Fold in ube jam.
4. Preheat turbo broiler to 175⁰C.
5. Spoon batter in lined muffin cups and bake for 12 minutes or until

    a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean.