Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Method

1. 01

   Step 1: Soak the poppy seeds

   Pour the hot milk over the poppy seeds and leave for 10 minutes to plump. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 190 °C (375 °F) and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.

2. 02

   Step 2: Rub the zest into the sugar

   Finely grate the lemon zest straight into a bowl with the sugar and rub it together with your fingertips for a minute, until the sugar is damp and pale yellow. Squeeze the juice: you’ll need 30 ml for the batter and 20 ml for the glaze.

3. 03

   Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients

   In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

4. 04

   Step 4: Mix the wet ingredients

   Add the eggs to the lemon sugar and whisk until smooth. Stir in the yogurt, 30 ml lemon juice, the melted butter, and the poppy seeds together with their milk.

5. 05

   Step 5: Bring it together

   Tip the dry ingredients into the wet and fold with a spatula just until no dry flour remains — 10–15 strokes. A few lumps are exactly right: overmixing gives dense muffins with tunnels inside.

6. 06

   Step 6: Bake

   Fill the cases almost to the top, about 80 g each. Bake for 20–22 minutes, until domed and golden and a skewer comes out clean. Leave in the tin for 5 minutes, then cool on a rack.

7. 07

   Step 7: Glaze

   Stir the icing sugar with 20 ml lemon juice into a thick glaze that falls slowly from a spoon. Drizzle over the completely cooled muffins and leave for 15 minutes to set.