Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Before you start

Lemon flavor in baking comes mostly from the zest, not the juice. The oils in the yellow peel carry the aroma, and rubbing the zest into the sugar with your fingers releases them before the batter is even mixed. Juice adds sharpness but little perfume, and too much of it fights with the leaveners. This recipe uses both, plus a glaze made with juice for a bright first bite.

Plain yogurt gives a tender crumb with a mild tang that suits lemon, and melted butter adds richness. Poppy seeds contribute a faint nuttiness and a pleasant crunch; two tablespoons is enough to speckle every bite without turning the muffins gray. Grate only the yellow layer of the peel; the white pith underneath is bitter.

Ingredients

• Batter200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
• 2 large lemons — zest finely grated; then squeeze for juice
• 250 g (2 cups, spooned and leveled) all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp (18 g) poppy seeds
• 2 tsp (8 g) baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp fine salt
• 2 large eggs — room temperature
• 240 g (1 cup) plain whole-milk yogurt — room temperature
• 115 g (½ cup) unsalted butter — melted and slightly cooled
• 45 ml (3 tbsp) fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Glaze120 g (1 cup) powdered sugar — sifted
• 2 to 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Method

1. Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and line the muffin pan. Put the sugar in a large bowl, add the lemon zest and rub them together with your fingertips for a minute or two, until the sugar is damp, pale yellow and smells strongly of lemon.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. Whisk the eggs into the lemon sugar, then the yogurt, melted butter, 3 tbsp lemon juice and vanilla, until smooth.
4. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet with a spatula until just combined. A few small lumps are fine; overmixing makes the muffins tough and peaked.
5. Fill the cups about four-fifths full. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, until the tops are pale golden, spring back when pressed and a toothpick comes out clean.
6. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then move to a rack and let cool for about 15 minutes more.
7. Whisk the powdered sugar with 2 tbsp lemon juice, adding more juice a few drops at a time until the glaze flows slowly from a spoon. Dip the top of each muffin or spoon the glaze over and let it set for 10 minutes.

Tips for success

• Zest the lemons before you juice them. Two large lemons usually give about 1 tablespoon of zest and 90 to 100 ml of juice, enough for both batter and glaze.
• For a stronger lemon flavor, brush the warm muffins with 2 tbsp lemon juice mixed with 1 tbsp sugar before glazing.
• Store poppy seeds in the freezer. Their oils go rancid at room temperature and taste bitter.

Substitutions

Plain yogurt

Sour cream at the same weight gives a slightly richer, denser crumb. Buttermilk gives a lighter, more open crumb; use 200 ml because it is thinner.

Lemons

Oranges or Meyer lemons give a sweeter, softer citrus flavor. Add an extra tablespoon of juice to the glaze to keep it bright.

Butter

Neutral oil at 100 ml gives muffins that stay soft longer but taste less rich.

Variations

Lemon blueberry poppy seed

Fold 150 g blueberries into the batter at the end and bake 2 to 3 minutes longer.

Loaf version

Bake the batter in a greased 23 x 13 cm (9 x 5 in) loaf pan at 175°C (350°F) for 50 to 60 minutes, then glaze.

Troubleshooting

Weak lemon flavor

The zest was not rubbed into the sugar or the lemons were small. Use the zest of two large lemons and work it into the sugar until fragrant.

Bitter aftertaste

White pith got into the zest, or old poppy seeds were used. Grate lightly over only the yellow peel and smell your poppy seeds before using them.

Glaze ran off and disappeared

The muffins were still warm or the glaze was too thin. Cool them first and thicken the glaze with a spoonful of powdered sugar.

Storage

Store the glazed muffins in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Freeze unglazed muffins for up to 3 months and glaze after thawing.

Safety notes

Do not taste the raw batter, which contains raw egg and raw flour. Contains wheat, egg and milk.