Lemon and Poppy Seed Muffins

Sunday 2 January 2011



It is rumoured that there are over 900,000 poppy seeds contained in a pound of poppy seeds . . . I've never actually counted them, nor am I likely to, so I'll just have to take the rumour monger's word for it.



What I do know for sure is that I love poppy seeds in baked goods. Always have done, probably always will. (although to be sure they aren't necessarily ideal to serve in dinner party foods . . . a poppy seed caught in the tooth can be quite disconcerting to your dinner time partners!)



When I was a much younger (ahem) woman I was lucky enough to live in the foothills of the Canadian Rocky Mountains of Alberta for a time . . . while there I used to ubdulge myself in these lovely sweet pastries that were sold in most of the bakeshops . . . filled with a sweet and scrummy poppy seed filling . . . no doubt a tasty treat come down from the traditions of Eastern European settlers that filled the Canadian West . . .



Oh my . . . but they were soooo delicious . . . I could never quite get enough of them . . . the pastry all buttery and the filling so sweet and yet crunchy at the same time, with a distinct almond flavour and a lucious glaze gilding all of that goodness.



They were so good that some 30 years later I am still thinking about them . . . or is that just the power of a rose coloured food memory clouding my culinary vision . . . I am not sure.

I only know for sure, that I do have a special fondness for Poppy Seeds that goes way back.



They make quite a lovely showing in these delicious breakfast or teatime muffins . . . the muffins all buttery and sweetly moist . . . and at the same time tangy with lemon, both in flavour and the scent . . and then with those pretty blue seeds scattered throughout . . . a feast for all the senses . . . and lets not forget that lemon sugar crunch topping!

These go down a right treat with your morning cuppa!



*Lemon and Poppy Seed Muffins*
Makes one dozen
Printable Recipe

Light and sweetly tangy and filled with lots of poppyseed crunch, and a scrummy lemon sugar topping!!

3 tsp finely grated lemon zest
220g caster sugar (1 cup)
335g of self raising flour (2 1/4 cup)
2 TBS poppy seeds
80ml of fresh lemon juice (1/3 cup)
250ml of milk (1 cup)
60g of butter, melted (1/3 cup)
2 large free range eggs, beaten

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6. Butter a 12 cup muffin cup pan really well. Set aside.

Place the sugar and lemon zest into a large bowl. Rub the two together with your fingertips really well. (This smells great!) Remove 3 TBS of the mixture and set aside. Sift the flour into the remainder. Stir in the poppy seeds. Whisk together the lemon juice, milk, beaten eggs and melted butter. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and add the liquid all at once. Stir together only to combine. Spoon into the prepared muffin cups, dividing it equally.

Sprinkle the tops of each with the reserved lemon sugar.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until well risen and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for ten minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling. Serve warm or at room temperature.

23 comments

  1. The New Year is getting off to a sweet start. I'm ALL smiles! :) I don't know anything about poppy seeds but I'm positive that one bite of this muffin would bring 900,000 smiles!

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  2. They look great, I have to admit to only ever having poppy seeds on top of a bread roll so you are broadening my horizon's with this one ;0)

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  3. I love it when I find a recipe I happen to have all the ingredients for in the house! Going to give these a go today!

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  4. Happy New Year ♥
    Moltissimi Auguri
    per uno splendido 2011

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  5. Lovely way to start the new year~ I love both lemons and poppy seeds.. I have now clipped your recipes together here:)

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  6. Happy New year Marie.
    Poppy seeds ... never tried. But I think this muffins are delicious.

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  7. Lemon poppyseed muffins are my 3-year-old grandson's absolute favorite. I have printed your recipe to make these soon!

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  8. Happy New Year's to you, Marie. Mmmmmm, I too love lemon and poppy seed muffins. Thanks for the recipe.

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  9. I can't wait to try these muffins. Lemon and poppy seed are my favourite. Thanks for sharing the recipe :-)

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  10. Thank you for this recipe. I have been craving these for so long and am about to test out your recipe. Yay for a recipe that's Metric!

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  11. These muffins are absolutely delicious! And thanks for converting the metric for those of us in the US.

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  12. Hmmm Ive just made these and they are baking in the oven.
    Your blog is amazing by the way,
    Love
    Charley @ Charley Sews/ Mummy2Midwife

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  13. This was lovely, thank you. I have made adjustments to make it in the Thermomix and so my salicylate intolerant daughter can eat it and have put it on my blog. Here's the link: http://realfailsafemeals.blogspot.com/2011/09/blog-post.html

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  14. My son loves lemon and poppy seed muffins and has begged me to make some. He's coming home at the weekend so I thought I'd have a bash.... he'll be thrilled! Thanks!

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  15. I've tried other muffin recipes which haven't worked and I love poppy seed cake so will be trying this one out shortly!

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  16. Fabulous receipe, easy and simple - thank you :)with gorgeous results

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  17. So glad you enjoyed Marie. Thank you so much for letting us all know!!

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  18. I don't usually comment on recipes but I've just made these muffins and they are really lovely and thought I should leave my thoughts. like other commenters I had all the ingredients in my cupboard which was a bonus. Just a note that these are probably best made in the tin without cases as I found the bottom of my muffins stuck to the cases.
    Thanks for posting such a great recipe. I will be trying again without cases!

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  19. Thanks Holly! Happy you enjoyed them. I didn't use paper cases with mine as you can see. No sticking! Sorry yours did! xoxo

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  20. Iv made these today and found them to be a bit on the dry side and also stuck to the paper cases. I will use not this recipe again as I have now wasted expensive ingredients!

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    1. I cannot speak for your experience anonymous. This was not my experience. My muffins were moist and delicious. I did not use paper cases. I baked them right in the tin and they popped right out. As you can see from the other comments they stuck to the paper cases another reader used as well. I do NOT recommend using paper cases with this recipe and indeed the recipe does not suggest that you do. Other readers have had excellent results. Baking is subjective and results can vary according to the type of pan you use, the heat of your oven, etc. Sounds to me like you over-baked them. Your oven must run hotter than mine.

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  21. Muffins are AMAZING!! They were fluffy and tasty and gone in a hindside. Thank you!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks very much Anna for taking the time to shre your results. I am happy that they were enjoyed! xo

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