All content copyright Katrina Hall 2008 through 2025

Monday, March 31, 2014

lemon poppyseed muffins & March pandemonium








The last day of what-a-March!  The grandchildren and my daughter-in-law are on their way to new lives in Minnesota (my daughter has to stay in NH a little longer for business), my son and his long time girlfriend got married , are expecting a baby, and bought a new house.  Zip, zip, zip.  Everything has happened so FAST.  I'm going to miss those children so much, but they assure me I can learn to Skype and maybe get a little glimpse of them growing up.

I've tried not to make these lemon poppyseed muffins because of the winter chubbiness I'm sporting under that coat, but I know it's there.  But first visit from the newly married couple called for them, and I remembered my son loving them as a boy.  

Perfect choice, and Rachel loved them.

I woke up to a sleet storm this morning, and made another batch - most to give away, but two for me.  I nibbled the sticky golden edges and wondered what on earth April will bring...

Happy end of March and on to Spring!  I actually saw my daylilies popping up next to the house, such a welcome glimpse of green!






Lemon Poppyseed muffins

Makes 10 or 12 Texas size muffins.

Preheat oven to 340F.
Grease two Texas size muffin tins (each tin makes 6)

zest of two large lemons
6 tablespoons poppyseeds
3 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
6 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
6 tablespoons milk
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened, room temperature

Grate the lemon zest into the mixer bowl and add the poppyseeds.  Stir in the flour, sugar, and baking powder.  With mixer on low, add the eggs, vanilla, and milk.  With mixture still on low, add the butter, a little at a time.

Mix until the batter is creamy, with no flecks of any cold bits of butter.

Using a standard ice cream scoop, scoop batter into muffin tins, two scoops per muffin cup. Place the muffin tins in upper third of the oven. Bake for about 40 minutes - the muffins should be fairly firm to the touch if you press the tops gently - and a lovely golden brown.  While the muffins are baking, make the glaze:

Lemon glaze

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
a pastry brush for brushing on muffins

Warm in a small saucepan until sugar is dissolved.  Simmer a few minutes, then remove to cool down.  

When muffins are done, remove from oven and brush each top with a little glaze.  Let the muffins cool and remove from tins to a cooling rack set inside a baking sheet - the glaze is sticky!  Brush each muffin mostly on the tops a few times, but also on the top edges.  

Enjoy!

14 comments:

La Table De Nana said...

Oh I am disappointed for you that they are moving..:(

Skype IS great..
Hope your son bought a house on your street:)
Katrina..it's actually MELTING tody here in full sun..we still have feet of snow..but there does seem to be a light with this week's predictions in the 40's..

I love your expression of winter chubbiness.. I think that's the little overhang over lower cut jeans?:(
Have it.
I wanted to recreate maple syrup muffins.. tasted in a bakery..I practiced so much.. the pouch is there..
Now I bet your lemon poppyseed muffins will have that same effect on me.
The treadmill does nothing for that.:)
It's the garden we need.
Congratulations on the nuptuals and upcoming blessed event!

katrina said...

Nana dear, I don't have any low cut jeans:) I'm still wearing what looks like MOM jeans, but at least I can fit into them. Barely.
We are not melting here - not yet, anyway, to my sorrow. I guarantee these muffins will add the chubbette factor into your daily weigh-in, but at this point, who cares? I'm doing well to keep up with my babies, - and their babies! I admit I am all aflutter and so proud of their achievements! Both hard workers and in wonderful marriages. Whew.

diary of a tomato said...

Love the combination of poppyseed and lemon, and your version with its crispy edges is entrancing! Hard to tell from the pix, how does that happen?

katrina said...

Diary - I think it's the oven temp. I have an electric oven, by the way. If you bake them at 325, they take longer, but rise pretty evenly, usually, without the curled edges. I love the curled edges because I can use lots of glaze that way, it just seems to happen when the temps are a little higher.

El said...

They look delicious!

katrina said...

Thanks, El! Love your blog & pictures!

La Table De Nana said...

I love the curled edges too!

Jamie said...

Is this really my first time at your beautiful blog? Lydia Walshin shared the photo of your wonderful muffins and I had to come and see them. Ah, life changes... we are just starting out with first son out of the house and graduating college and the second on his way. But skype is the best! And these muffins are perfect comfort... when you find yourself alone with all that are left.

katrina said...

Nana - I hope I can figure out how those muffins curl that way! If you make them, let me know:)

katrina said...

Jamie! Nice to see you here! I assure you, I share those leftover muffins with friends as quickly as possible! It's been rare in the past not to have SOMEONE visiting, so never had to think about what to do with them. The ebb and flow of children and grandchildren, family and friends is, I realize, a constant in life, so I enjoy the quieter moments when they come.....

Barb said...

Oh my, you certainly have had a wild March! Best wishes to your daughter and family on their move to Minnesota - now you have a good reason to visit Minnesota. And best wishes to your son, his new bride and baby-on-the-way! There is a lot to be excited about in your life, isn't there?

As for those muffins - I want to take a bite right off the screen - they just look sooo tempting! A great big YUM!

All the best to you Katrina!

La Table De Nana said...

1/4 cup:) maple syrup
and 1 tbsp in the glaze.
Add extract if u have:) Maple.
Have a great day!

katrina said...

Thank you, Barb! I'm very touched by you very sweet comments - and do hope you get to make the muffins. They are....well, legendary!

katrina said...

Thank you, Nana! I DID misread that!