Lemon and Poppy Seed Muffins

Tuesday 3 July 2012



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.

9 comments

  1. These just moved to my top 3 muffins to make when I get home. LOVE the lemon poppyseed combo!

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  2. Oh yum! I love poppyseeds and haven't baked with them myself for years. This combination is a classic and I can't wait to try them later today. Thanks for a great recipe.

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  3. These sound very yummy, and I think I have all the ingredients in stock, so now I know what I will be doing later!

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  4. me too, probably I'm able to put poppy seeds in every one of my own recipes!! I never baked a bread without it :) I'd like the sound in the teeth!

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  5. I have a terrible confession to make- I bake Lemon Poppyseed Muffins from a mix.
    I couldn't find a recipe that tasted good enough. I'll try yours and maybe my terrible secret will be no more : )

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  6. Perfection..Hope the weather where you are is as nice as it is here in my part of Canada!

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  7. REally lovely looking muffins Marie, so beautifully risen and full of lovely lemony flavor :)
    Mary x

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  8. That looks so incredibly delicious :) greetings from my polish Kitchen :)

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  9. Hmmm. Tasty, but using muffin cases (and not just buttering a muffin tin) meant that they stuck to the cases, which wasn't ideal. And I found 200 was just a bit too hot, so took them out and they weren't cooked through but well cooked on the outside. Perhaps 180 will be more appropriate. Second batch as we speak!

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