Weekender: Lemon Buttermilk Muffins
With the persistence of cloudy skies and seemingly constant wet pavement, I must again thank the heavens for bright winter citrus. For those with an abundance of lemons to use this winter, this is a great, easy recipe (no more than 30 minutes start to finish) that will start the day with a ray of sunshine. Perfect with a cup of tea.
Lemon Buttermilk Muffins
--adapted from The Breakfast Book by Marion Cunningham
Makes about 12 muffins
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
2 TBS honey
2 eggs
1-1/4 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
Grated zest of one lemon
Lemon Syrup:
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup sugar
3 TBS water
Preheat oven to 375F. Butter muffin tins.
Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a large bowl and whisk well to evenly distribute ingredients. In a glass or plastic liquid measuring cup measure buttermilk and add honey, eggs, melted butter and lemon zest and beat well with a fork. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry and mix gently with the fork until just combined (will be a little lumpy).
Fill the muffin tins with the batter. Bake at 375F for 15 minutes or until the top begin to turn golden and a toothpick or wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
While the muffins are baking, put the sugar, lemon juice, and water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for just a minute and then remove from the heat and set aside.
When the muffins are done and you have pulled them out of the oven poke them gently a few times with the tines of a fork. Line your countertop with a piece of parchment or waxed paper (this just make clean up a little easier). Set the muffin tins on top of the parchment and spoon the the syrup over the muffins.
The syrup will sink into the holes made with the fork (and will roll off the muffins onto the pan and the parchment). Let the muffins cool for a minute or two in the pans and then turn the muffins out and eat!
These are best eaten warm, but I don't think you'll have a problem with leftovers. Happy Weekend!!
