Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Smile

Meyer Lemon Muffins

After I read this recipe from the Los Angeles Times, I couldn't believe I had never thought of trying its recipe trick before:  pureeing the lemons whole, using them as a fruit base the way one would use bananas in banana bread.  I knew it would guarantee a moist muffin packed with real lemony flavor.  What I didn't know is how delicious it would be, how it would last for days without turning into a sweetened greasy hockey puck, and how the Ceylon cinnamon would dance with the lemon.  I didn't know that the edges of the muffin would turn be browned, crunchy, and caramelly good; nor did I know that the spot under the lemon smile would stay pudding-y.

The recipe needed no futzing or fiddling to make it perfect, so I won't republish it below.  Instead, follow the link, follow the directions, and enjoy a perfect muffin.

11 comments:

Sarah Heller said...

i need these immediately! it's got my mouth watering...

Sarah said...

Oh boy I sure hope I get some more meyers this week! Where did you buy the Ceylon cinnamon?

karen said...

I too, made these last year when the recipe was originally published! They were yummy, though I felt like mine were a little extra oily... maybe buttery is a better word. And small. So small it was so easy to eat so many... at once.

Anonymous said...

How fantastic!

michelle said...

Those look good and there's so many Meyers left on my tree...

Christina said...

Sarah Heller: Easy peasy. You want me to send you some lemons? I've been meaning to for a while.

Sarah: Some friends surprised me with a baking collection from Penzey's that included both cassia and ceylon cinnomons. There is a marked difference in flavor between the two. I'm thinking of finding a place to buy vanilla beans in bulk. If such a thing is possible, would you want to go in on an order with me?

Karen: Hee hee! They're the size of muffin I grew up with, so I guess my mom always made small muffins! Recipe-wise, I don't find them to be terribly high in fat--there's less than a half tablespoon of butter per muffin, which is less than what some folks I know (er, my husband) spread on a piece of toast. I like their buttery flavor.

Maninas: Enjoy!

Unknown said...

I am addicted to lemons. These look lovely. I preserved two jars of meyer lemons this year and use them in everything..well, the rinds.

Thanks for posting this..I am on it!

Christina said...

Mel: Enjoy!

Shaheen said...

A little bit of zing in my breakfast muffin. Yum. Thank you for sharing.

Beach Bum said...

I just saw this recipe, and made it with ordinary lemons ('cause I didn't have any Meyer ones). The muffins were fantastic, although the slice of lemon on top was a bit sour.

Thanks for posting.

Christina said...

Mangocheeks: You're welcome!

Beach Bum: I'm glad you mostly enjoyed the muffins, though I'm disappointed that you found the slice too sour. Perhaps when working with Eureka or Lisbon lemons, it might be a good idea to simmer the slices in sugar syrup before placing them on top.