Recipe for Lemon Poppyseed Muffins

I am a big fan of lemon poppyseed bread, cake & muffins. However, I have not found a good recipe for it! They often tend to be dense and dry. I like them to be really moist, soft, light, and easy on the poppyseeds. I'd prefer a recipe that allows the muffins to stand alone w/o any frosting or glaze. Any recommendations? I've tried the recipes from Pensey's and Martha Stewarts Muffins 101. Thanks in advance!

* Exported from MasterCook *

Poppy Seed Rolls

Recipe By :
Serving Size : 12 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Biscuits/ Muffins/ Rolls Fleischmann's Yeast
Sweet Breads and Coffee Cakes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
5 cups all-purpose flour (5 to 5 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup sugar
2 packages Fleischmann's Active Dry or Rapid Rise
Yeast
2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 cup butter or margarine (2 sticks)
1/2 cup water

POPPY SEED FILLING
3/4 cup poppy seeds
1/4 cup milk
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
Honey Nut Filling (recipe follows)
1 egg -- lightly beaten
Confectioners' Sugar Icing -- optional
Additional ground nuts or poppy seeds -- optional

HONEY NUT FILLING
2 1/2 cups ground walnuts
1/2 cup honey
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon

CONFECTIONERS' SUGAR ICING
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons milk (2 to 3 teaspoons)

In large bowl, mix 2 cups flour, sugar, undissolved yeast, lemon peel and salt.

Heat milk, butter and water until hot to touch (125 to 130 degrees F). Butter does not need to melt. Gradually add to dry ingredients; beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add 1/2 cup flour; beat at high speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. With spoon, stir in enough additional flour to make stiff dough.

Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover; let rise until doubled in size, about 75 minutes.*

Prepare Poppy Seed Filling: Combine 3/4 cup poppy seeds, 1/4 cup milk, 1 cup sugar, and 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel in saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils (about 5 minutes); cool. Filling will thicken on standing. Increase baking time to 45 minutes; if necessary, cover with foil to prevent excess browning.

Punch dough down; divide in half. Roll each half to 10 x 15-inch rectangle. Top each with 1/2 poppy or nut filling, spreading to within 1/2-inch of edges. Roll up from long end as for jelly roll. Pinch seam and ends to seal. Place loaves on greased baking sheets. If desired, curve ends to make horseshoe. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until risen slightly, 30 to 45 minutes.

Brush loaves with beaten egg. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until done. Remove from baking sheets. Cool on wire racks. If desired, frost with confectioners' sugar frosting and garnish with additional ground nuts or poppy seeds.

Pucca,

In the spirit of M.Ghandi's "be the change you wish to see", have you tried adapting one of the heavier recipes you have previously used? While, you may run across the perfect recipe, I just have personal curiosity why you don't try to get there yourself through a bit of experimentation.

I seldom use recipes, except for baking. However, some of the other folks here may have good advice on how to adapt the recipe if you post the ones you did not like, with a note as to heavy, etc.

I am assuming that, at best, most baked goods recipes are an average of what works best for the greatest number of geographical regions and altitudes. I do know for a fact that muffins I used to make, came out differently with the magnitude of humidity.

I suggest taking a look at some of the very popular cooking science books of late. "What Einstein Told His Cook" or perhaps a Cook's Illustrated cookbook. These books can provide some of the insights and explanations to ingredients so you don't stray too far from the goal, such as doubling the leavening agent which may cause an exponential amount of rise, etc.

Hi,

I really do enjoy the analytical approach Cook's Illustrated takes to recipes.

Baking is an area where chemistry is involved and results differ greatly when you exchange ingredients. In my charming youth, like 8 years old, I tried to exchange milk for flour, LOL, I didn't have a clue. A few years ago, I innocently forgot to add salt to pita bread I made for a school bake sale. The salt not being present caused the yeast bread to rise faster than expected. Trying to make lemonade out of a lemon situation, I labeled the pitas no-sodium and they sold out fast.

There are only so many variations on making a muffin, which are quick breads. If the recipe uses double-rise baking powder, then you add milk. If it is a quick bread using soda, then you add buttermilk, sour cream, yogurt or acidified milk --- you need the acid to activate the baking soda fully. If you substitute milk in a baking soda product, then you get the chemical after taste and it won't rise as well; so don't make that substitution. If you did do it, then you may be having the density problem you are complaining about.

To experiment efficiently, I would begin by making one batch of muffins with a baking powder based recipe. Followed by baking soda with buttermilk, then later sour cream. Somewhere in there I think you will find the consistency you want. I would also consult some baking cook books from the likes of Rose Levy Berenbaum, she really evaluates recipes carefully.

Cutting back on the poppy seeds will not affect any recipe or adjusting lemon flavoring will not chemically affect the cooking process, it is simply a matter of taste.

You also may want to check if your oven temperature is in the expected range. It's an often overlooked variable which can affect your product. If it is off, then adjust your temperature gauge to compensate.

I see the recipe submitted by Mr. Chris is a yeast-risen dough, which isn't really muffin-ish ... unless I misunderstood something here.

Have fun and do advise the results.

Try doubling the butter and eggs in your recipe. I've never made lemon poppyseed muffins, but the doubling made my dry blueberry muffins moist and soft. It's worked for other kinds of muffins, too. It might not wrok for your recipe, but maybe it would be worth a try.

Jane

I guess I should have added my guesstimations to the above post:

1. additional oil or butter helps with the moisture, however it may make them a even more dense (combined with additional leavening may help);

2. to lighten the muffins, you may try beating the egg whites and folding that into the mixture, like you would a sponge cake....although I am not sure if that will help in a heavier muffin batter.

Thank you for all your suggestions! I've never messed with the leavening agents and fat proportions before. I will try some variations this weekend! I have used applesauce as a fat substitution in the past, however I have found that the end product becomes very spongy. Next time I will only replace 1/2 the fat w/applesauce as opposed to 1:1.

A technique question for you? Quick breads [like muffins] should only be mixed until the dry ingredients are moist [you can't see any dry flour] and no further. I've noticed that my baking comes out drier and heavier if I over-do this rule.

Giovanna

Hi,

I just saw this in Yoga Journal and thought it may be of interest:

Yoga Journal wrote:Flax flour is also a great addition to homemade muffins, cookies, granola, and desserts and can easily replace the fat content in many recipes in a 3:1 ratio (or use three tablespoons of ground flaxseed for every tablespoon of oil or butter). If you decide to grind your own flax, you can store any unused portion in the refrigerator to extend its shelf life.