Onion and Kesong Puti (Carabao Milk Cheese) Breakfast Muffins

Scallions, dried sweet onion and kesong puti in a breakfast muffin. Light, subtly sweet, a hint of saltiness and a lovely aroma that will whet your appetite.

Kesong puti is a Filipino cheese made from carabao milk. It is an unaged cheese so the flavor and aroma are both mild.

What’s the idea? Why use kesong puti in a muffin recipe? Seven years ago, I published the recipe for my onion and feta savory muffins and someone asked what could be substituted for the pricey imported feta. I said kesong puti. So, now, I put substance to the reply that I gave my blog reader.

This is a very simple recipe. You only need mixing bowls, a wire whisk, a spatula, muffin liners, a muffin pan and, of course, an oven. Using an electric mixer is not only unnecessary but a total overkill as well.

Start by microwaving butter and scallions just until the butter is melted. No microwave oven? No problem. Melt the butter on the stovetop over low heat.

Stir in dried onions and leave to cool while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and sugar. Add the cut-up cheese and toss to coat each piece with the flour mixture.

Set the dry ingredients aside and take the cooled butter-scallion-onion mixture. Pour in milk, add an egg and mix until blended.

Pour the butter-milk-egg mixture into the flour-cheese mixture. Mix just until moistened. Ten turns should be enough then take a spatula and do two turns more scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl as you mix.

Spoon the muffin batter evenly among the six holes of a muffin pan. Bake at a preheated 350F oven for 20 minutes.

Cool the baked muffins slightly in the pan before moving to a rack. Serve while still warm.

Onion and Kesong Puti (Carabao Milk Cheese) Breakfast Muffins

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Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: International

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Servings: 6 medium muffins

Author: Connie Veneracion

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 tablespoons finely sliced scallions
• 2 tablespoons dried sweet onion
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 125 grams kesong puti (carabao milk cheese) cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk
• 1 large egg

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350F.
• Line six holes of a muffin pan with paper liner.
• Place the butter in a microwaveable bowl and sprinkle in the scallions. 
• Microwave the butter and scallions on HIGH for 15 to 20 seconds or just until the butter is melted. Alternatively, melt the butter gently on the stovetop.
• Stir the dried onion into the melted butter. Set aside to cool.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar.
• Add the cheese cubes to the flour mixture and toss to coat each piece well. This will help prevent the cheese cubes from sinking to the bottom of the muffin pan during baking.
• Take the cooled butter and pour in the milk. Add the egg. Mix until of uniform consistency.
• Pour the butter-milk mixture into the flour-cheese mixture. Mix just until moistened. Ten to 12 turns are enough. DO NOT OVERMIX. Overmixing muffin batter results in tough muffins.
• Spoon the muffin batter evenly among the six lined holes of the muffin pan.
• Bake the muffins at 350F for 20 minutes.
• Cool the muffins in the pan for about three minutes then transfer to a rack.
• Serve the onion and kesong puti breakfast muffins warm.

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