Recipe: Perfected Poppy Seed Muffins with Fresh, Lemon Glaze

After producing 1 dozen of the most flavorful yet flat and dense hockey pucks poppy seed muffins on Mother’s Day morning, I decided to review muffin baking 101 in order to rectify my muffin faux pas. Along the way I discovered a few, basic, muffin-making tips of which I was previously unaware or had somehow forgotten.

Awaking this morning with a sense of dogged determination and armed with my new found muffin know-how, I set out once again to bake moist, gorgeously-domed, tasty muffins and perfect my own recipe. And so it is after much trial and error, I am pleased (and relieved) to report that these Poppy Seed Muffins are not only inncredible, but alas, they are definitely inn-worthy.

A perfect addition to any breakfast, brunch or afternoon tea, these cake-like muffins become even more delightful when drizzled with the accompanying recipe for fresh, lemon glaze. Quick and easy to make, these Poppy Seed Muffins are ideal for serving at home or at a bed & breakfast inn.

Before beginning to bake, here are a few, useful tips to review, sure to get you on your way to perfecting these heavenly muffins:

1. Regardless of what kind of muffins you are baking, ingredients should be brought to room temperature before mixing and combining.
2. Unless otherwise stated, prepare and combine the dry ingredients in 1 bowl, and the wet ingredients in another.
3. After mixing the dry ingredients, form a well in the middle for holding the moist ingredients until combining both.
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients gently, without over-mixing. I prefer the “fold” technique rather than stirring. It doesn’t get more gentle than that.
5. Combine the wet and dry ingredients until the dry ingredients are just moistened. Any more than that and you risk over-stirred (or over-folded) batter, which increases your chances of producing dense, tough, hockey pucks muffins.
6. When greasing your muffin tin or paper liners, grease only the bottoms and up 1/2 of the sides.
7. While most muffin recipes call for the cups to be 2/3 full, for this particular recipe, fill the muffin cups 3/4 full.
8. Fully preheat your oven to the correct temperature before adding muffins for baking.

Now, are you ready to bake some of the most delicious muffins ever?

Recipe: Poppy Seed Muffins

(recipe courtesy Inn Cuisine)

• 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 2/3 cup Sugar
• 1 & 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 2 tablespoon Poppy Seeds
• 1 extra-large Egg
• 1 (8 oz) carton Sour Cream
• 1 cup Buttermilk
• 1/3 cup melted Butter
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Preheat oven to 400 degrees for baking.

Assembly

Sift and mix the first five ingredients together in medium-sized bowl, forming a well in the middle when combined.

In another, smaller bowl, combine the egg, sour cream, buttermilk, melted butter, and vanilla extract, whisking until just blended.

Pour the wet ingredients into the well in the middle of the dry ingredients and stir or fold gently, just enough to combine the two mixtures and the dry ingredients are moistened. Do not over-stir or over-fold the batter or you will end up with tough, dense muffins. Fine, small lumps are preferable. You do not need this batter to be perfectly smooth.

Properly grease a 12-cup muffin tin, or line with paper liners sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Fill each cup with batter approximately 3/4 full. Bake in a preheated, 400 degree oven for approximately 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and the tops are light, golden brown.

This recipe produces 12 standard-size muffins.

Remove muffins from tin immediately and allow to cool slightly before drizzling with glaze.

Recipe: Fresh Lemon Glaze

(recipe adapted from Paula Deen’s Lemon Blossoms glaze, featured in her 2005 cookbook, Paula Deen & Friends)

• 1 cup Confectioner’s (Powdered) Sugar
• juice and zest from 1, large Lemon (more, if desired, to taste)
• approximately 1/2 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
• approximately 1/2 tablespoon Water

Assembly

Sift confectioner’s sugar into a small mixing bowl. Add fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, oil and water and mix until smooth, but not too thin. Drizzle 1-2 spoonfuls of glaze over the top of warm (not hot) muffins, encouraging glaze to drizzle down the top and sides of muffins.

When muffins have been drizzled with glaze, remove to a serving plate or storage container so muffin bottoms do not sit in glaze.

Enjoy!

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