A family favourite…
These lemon muffins are a go-to, classic among my close and extended family! In fact, a family reunion wouldn’t feel quite complete without a batch of these little wonders. And I must admit, while they taste great when I bake them, my Mum and Aunty are the true masters of this recipe.
The recipe itself originates from the wonderful Alison Holst’s Marvellous Muffins 1994. Alison Holst is an inspiring food journalist and television chef from New Zealand who has produced many best-selling cook books.
Ingredients
Thankfully, there’s nothing too complicated about this recipe or the ingredients. Flour, baking powder and sugar make the dry mixture. The wet mixture is made from melted butter, milk, an egg and grated lemon rind.
To let the lemon flavour really shine through I use two medium to large sized lemons. However, if you’d rather just have a lemony hint in your muffins you may choose to use one large or two smaller lemons.
The key is to use fresh lemons, ideally home grown so you can guarantee they’ll be full of flavour. This is essential for the crunchy sugar topping which is without a doubt the star of these muffins. The tangy citrus from the lemons and crunchy sweetness from the sugar are simply put a heavenly combination.
Steps
To make these muffins, start by combining the dry ingredients. I never bother about sifting and they still turn out great.
Mix the wet ingredients separately and then add to the dry mixture. If you notice the wet mixture is lumpy, the butter is likely solidifying due to the cooler temperature of the milk and egg. In this case, reheat the wet mixture briefly in the microwave (approx. 10 to 20 seconds). This should melt the butter without it starting to cook.
Gently combine wet and dry mixtures together. To avoid dense muffins do not to overmix. The rule I follow is to stop stirring when I see only a few specks of flour remaining. This will encourage them to rise well and come out fluffy.
They bake for about 12 minutes at 200 ºC, or until the tops are golden brown and spring back when gently pressed. The lemon juice and sugar topping should be drizzled over the muffins immediately after they are removed from the oven.
Crunchy Lemon Muffins
Ingredients
Dry Mixture
- 2 cups Four
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- 3/4 cup Sugar
Wet Mixture
- 75 grams Butter melted
- 1 cup Milk
- 1 Egg
- 2 Medium lemons grated rind
Crunchy Sugar Topping
- 1/4 cup Lemon juice
- 1/4 cup Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200 °C and grease a 12-pan muffin tray.
- Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
- In a medium bowl, add wet ingredients and whisk together. If mixture is lumpy, heat for 10 to 20 seconds in microwave.
- Add wet mixture to dry mixture. Gently fold together with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined, careful not to overmix.
- Spoon mixture into muffin pans. Bake for 12 minutes until golden brown and the tops spring back when lightly pressed.
- Add lemon juice and sugar in a mug, do not stir. Using a spoon, drizzle over the muffins. Leave muffins to rest in pan for a few minutes before removing. Serve with butter.
These muffins work well as a sweet treat for afternoon tea and are a hit with guests and visitors. Bare in mind, once you’ve had one, you’ll be reaching for another. However, as tempting as it is, you’ll probably want to limit the consumption of these muffins due to the sugar content within and drizzled over them.
If you have a question, don’t hesitate to ask in the comments below. Similarly, I would love to hear your thoughts on this recipe including any tips or adjustments that worked for you!
Happy baking 😉