Mandarin Orange Muffins

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a standard muffin pan. This recipe makes enough batter for 16-18 muffins, so you can bake in batches and re-use the same pan, or grease an additional six cups in separate muffin pan, if you have one.
  
• Finely grate enough mandarin oranges to get about 1/4 cup (30 grams) of zest. For me this was about 6 mandarins. You can also peel a long strip of zest with a vegetable peeler and julienne into small thin pieces for an optional garnish, as in my photos.
  
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the zest, 1/4 cup of the sugar, and the water. Heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved completely. Stir in the butter until melted. Remove from heat and set aside.
  
• In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, remaining 1/4 cup of the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  
• In a large mixing bowl, stir together the Greek yogurt, eggs, milk and orange sugar mixture until well combined.
  
• Add the flour mixture to the yogurt mixture and stir until just combined.
  
• Fill the prepared muffin pan(s) to 3/4 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes back clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes, then remove from the pan to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  
• Glaze (optional): In a small bowl, stir together the icing sugar, mandarin juice, zest and salt until smooth. If too thick for pouring, add a little juice until a pour-able consistency is achieved.
  
• With a spoon, drizzle the cooled muffins with the glaze, and garnish with thin slices of mandarin peel if desired.