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Freshly baked cheesy bacon savoury muffins are sitting on a cooling rack. One of the muffins has no case showing the whole muffin with cream cheese topping and a parmesan crisp on top.
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5 from 1 vote

Bacon, Cheese and Onion Muffins - Mawhene Pēkana, Tīhi me te Aniana

A savoury muffin with flavours of bacon, cheese, onion and herbs with the option of a plain muffin or a decorated one. Such a tasty muffin that is perfect for lunch boxes, picnics or a quick bake when guests arrive.
Course Baking
Cuisine Muffins
Keyword bacon and cheese muffin recipe, bacon and cheese muffin recipe nz, best savoury muffins, best savoury muffins nz, best savoury muffins recipe, best savoury muffins recipe nz, savoury muffins recipe, savoury muffins recipe nz, te reo Māori
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 16 medium muffins

Equipment

  • 1 x Standard Muffin Tin or 2 x Texas Muffin Tins

Ingredients

The bacon - Te Pēkana

  • 200 g pēkana (bacon, I prefer middle bacon for this recipe). This can also be replaced with ham, chorizo or any meat you have.
  • 3 tablespoon huka hāura (brown sugar). You can also use maple syrup or honey here.
  • 2 teaspoon pārihi tauraki (dried basil or your favourite dried herbs)
  • ½ tsp each of tote me te pepa (salt and pepper)
  • 1 tablespoon ranunga kāriki me te amiami (garlic and herb mix, I use a Mingle one for this). This can be replaced with a mix of garlic powder, onion powder and whatever other herbs you like).
  • 3 puna riki (spring onions)

The Muffin Mixture - Te Ranunga Mawhene

  • 2 hēki (eggs, size 7)
  • ⅓ C noni ōriwa (olive oil or any oil you have)
  • ¾ C miraka tepe (yogurt, plain and unsweetened)
  • ¼ C miraka (milk)
  • 200 g tīhi (cheese, whatever cheese you have). I used smoked aged cheddar and it was divine.
  • 2 teaspoon pēkana paura (baking powder)
  • ½ teaspoon pēkana houra (baking soda)
  • 2 C puehu parāoa noa (plain flour)

Ngā Kīnaki - The Condiments (Optional)

  • ½ C kīnaki (chutney, I used a Barkers Sun-dried tomato and olive in mine but use what you like).

Ngā Whakarākei - The Decorations (Optional)

  • 100 g kirīmi tīhi (cream cheese, room temperature)
  • 2 teaspoon wai rēmana (lemon juice)
  • A handful of your favourite herbs. I used chives and dill.
  • Kiri rēmana (lemon zest, of one lemon)
  • 1 quantity Parmesan Wafers

Instructions

Pre-heat the Oven:

  • Pre-heat the oven to 180 °C.
  • Line a Texas muffin tin with 12 liners or a standard muffin tins with 16 liners.

Prepare the Bacon:

    Option 1 - Fry the Bacon for best flavour:

    • Chop the pēkana (bacon) in to rough chunks.
    • Set a small frying pan over medium-high heat.
      Add the pēkana (bacon) and fry until most of the liquid has evaporated.
    • Add the huka hāura (brown sugar), pārihi tauraki (dried basil), tote me te pepa (salt and pepper) and ranunga kāriki me te amiami (garlic and herb mix).
      Fry it off for a few minutes until sticky and fragrant.
    • Remove from the heat and leave to the side to cool slightly.

    Option 2 - Skip the Bacon cooking if you are short on time:

    • Chop the pēkana (bacon) in to rough chunks.
    • Add it to small bowl and add the huka hāura (brown sugar), pārihi tauraki (dried basil), tote me te pepa (salt and pepper) and ranunga kāriki me te amiami (garlic and herb mix).
    • Combine it all together with your hands or a fork to get all the flavours working.
      Leave it to the side as you prepare the ranunga mawhene (muffin mixture).

    Prepare the Wet Ingredients:

    • Add the hēki (eggs) to a large bowl and beat them with a whisk or a fork for about a minute.
    • Pour in the noni (oil) as you continue to whisk. Add the miraka tepe (yogurt) and miraka (milk) and whisk again until smooth.
    • Grate the 200 g of tīhi (cheese) directly in to the egg mixture. Reserve a little bit of tīhi (cheese) for the tops of the muffin, if you want to.
    • Chop the aniana (onions) roughly and add it in, along with the ranunga pēkana (bacon mixture). Roughly mix it together.

    Add the Dry Ingredients:

    • Add the pēkana paura (baking powder) and pēkana houra (baking soda) and stir it until combined.
    • Sift in the puehu parāoa (flour) and fold it gently together with a spatula.
      Don't over work the mixture here, just fold it until everything is just combined. The mixture is quite tight but that is what we want.

    Divide in to Muffin Tins:

    • Distribute the mixture between the prepared muffin tins.

    Add the Chuntey:

    • If you are using the kīnaki (chutney), make a hole in each mawhene (muffin) with a teaspoon.
      Fill it with a small teaspoon of kīnaki (chutney) and top it with a little extra tīhi (cheese).

    Bake the Muffins:

    • Place the trays in the pre-heated oven.
      If you are baking them in the Texas muffin tins, bake for 25 minutes.
      If you are baking them in standard muffin tins, bake for 20 minutes .
    • They are ready when they spring back when pressed in the centre.

    Serve them warm:

    • Eat warm as a delicious morning tea or as a side with your favourite hot soup.
      If you are decorating them, allow them to completely cool first.

    Add the Cream Cheese Topping:

    • Add the kirīmi tīhi (cream cheese), amiami (herbs) and wai rēmana (lemon juice) to a medium bowl. Whip it for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
    • Pipe a little bit on top of each cooled mawhene (muffin) or you can add it on with a teaspoon.
      Grate over a little bit of kiri rēmana (lemon zest).

    Add the Parmesan Wafers:

    • Make the Parmesan Wafers according to the instructions.
    • Top with pieces of parmesan wafer for some added magic but be aware that parmesan wafers will loose their crispiness after a few hours. So add them just before serving.

    Storing the Muffins:

    • These will keep well in a sealed container for a couple of days in the cupboard . If you are eating them a day or days after, gently heat them or toast them for the best eating experience.