Monday, February 11, 2013

Lemon Blueberry Poppy Seed Muffins


Winter, you have completely overstayed your welcome.  I realize DC is not NYC, that we haven't  had a blizzard of epic proportions, we haven't even gone into negative temperatures- the fact remains.  Florida girls do not tolerate puffy coats and breath we can see for very long.  Cold weather, I banish you!
Ah, if only I had the power.  Instead, I've found solace in baking brightly flavored breakfast pastries.  Take these muffins, for instance: soft, moist, tangy dough spotted with juice blueberries and topped with a crumble topping that will rock your world.  It takes the muffin from tasty to mmmm...
Lemon and blueberries won't bring me back to the sunshine state.  They may, however, give me hope that spring is just around the corner!


Lemon Blueberry Poppy Seed Muffins (from Joy the Baker)
Makes 12 muffins
(Original recipe calls for 1/3 c. whole milk, but I found my batter was way too thick with that amount.  I added another 1/3 c., and it became much more manageable.)



7 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2/3 c. whole milk
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
1 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1 1/2 c. fresh blueberries
For the Topping:
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp. granulated sugar


1. Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Line a muffins pan with paper or foil liners, set aside.
2. To make the muffins:  Melt butter in a small silver-bottomed saucepan over medium heat.  Keep an eye on the butter.  It will melt, froth, and begin to crackle; that’s the water cooking out of the butter.  The crackling will subside and butter will begin to brown fairly quickly.  Remove from heat when butter solids become a medium brown color and butter smells slightly nutty.  Immediately pour hot butter into a small bowl, or the butter will continue to cook in the hot pan.  Allow to cool slightly.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined.  Add browned butter and whisk to combine.
4. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.  Add milk mixture all at once to the flour mixture and stir gently to combine.  Gently but thoroughly fold in the lemon zest, poppy seeds, and blueberries.  Divide batter among prepared muffin cups.
5. To make the topping: Combine all ingredients in a bowl and rub together with clean fingertips until crumbly.  Sprinkle topping evenly over the muffin batter in cups.
6. Bake muffins 18 to 20 minutes until golden and crisp and a skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.  Cool muffins in the pan for 15 minutes before removing.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

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