Pistachio Muffins

Pistachio muffins are a treat for lovers of this precious dried fruit. Here’s how to make them:

Ingredients

• 200 g of all-purpose flour
• 100 g of sugar
• 100 g of melted butter
• 120 ml of milk
• 2 eggs
• 80 g of unsalted pistachios
• 1 sachet of baking powder for sweets
• A pinch of salt
• Grated zest of 1 lemon (optional)
• Chopped pistachios or granules for decoration

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. In a mixer, finely grind the pistachios until they almost become flour. Set some aside for the decoration.
3. In a bowl, mix the sifted flour with the baking powder and salt.
4. In another bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar until you get a light and fluffy mixture.
5. Add to the egg mixture the sugar, melted butter, milk, and grated lemon zest, mixing well after each addition.
6. Fold the chopped pistachios into the wet mixture.
7. Combine the wet mix with the dry mix, gently stirring until the dough is uniform, but avoiding overworking it.
8. Prepare a muffin tin with paper liners and fill each liner about 2/3 full with the batter.
9. If desired, you can sprinkle the surface of each muffin with pistachio granules for a crunchy finish.
10. Bake for about 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
11. Let the muffins cool before serving them.

To make the pistachio muffins even more Italian, you might add a touch of pistachio cream inside each muffin before baking, creating a soft and surprising heart of flavor.

Curiosity

In Italy, the Bronte pistachio is greatly appreciated in pastry and ice cream making for its unique flavor and superior quality. This wonderful dried fruit comes from the slopes of Mount Etna in Sicily and is harvested every two years, making it particularly precious.