Lemon-Almond Muffin with Lemon Drizzle

Fresh citrus makes such an amazing difference in main courses, really putting a kapow! in what might otherwise be sorta boring. Over the past year or so I've taken to using fresh lemons and their juice when called for in a recipe rather than resorting to the stuff in a bottle. I enjoy fresh lemons in my food so much now that I'm actually going to make some lemon muffins for myself. Five years ago I'd have rather eaten poop than a lemon muffin. Funny how palates change isn't it? I would've eaten POOP.

Lemon-Almond Muffin with Lemon Drizzle

Cooking Club of America

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2 c all-purpose flour

1/2 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 c plain low-fat yogurt
1/2 c canola oil
1 tbsp grated lemon peel
1 egg
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 c sliced almonds

GLAZE
1 c powdered sugar
1 1/2 to 3 tbsp lemon juice

Heat oven to 400°F. Line 12 muffin cups. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda in large bowl.

 

Whisk yogurt, oil, lemon peel, egg and almond extract in medium bowl until blended. 

Fold into flour mixture just until blended.

 

Spoon into muffin cups; sprinkle with almonds, pressing slightly to adhere.
 

Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 5 minutes. Remove from pan; place on wire rack.

 

Meanwhile, whisk powdered sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons of the lemon juice in small bowl until smooth, adding additional lemon juice 1 teaspoon at a time if necessary for desired consistency. 

 

Drizzle over warm muffins. (Glaze will set when muffins are cool.) Serve warm, or cool completely.

I simply swung the drizzle laden fork over the muffins to get what I consider a nifty appearance. The thinner your glaze, the thinner your glaze lines will be. Don't start with your drizzly fork directly over a muffin unless you don't mind blobs. Not that blobs are a bad thing.


Flavor wise the muffins were lemon-flavored, sure, but the drizzle was a kick in the face with the lemon zing! If you don't like crazy quantities of lemon flavor, meter how much drizzle you use or consider diluting your lemon juice with water.

The recipe said these would be "tender and light." I got some slightly tough and stiff muffins. Five bucks says I should NOT have used the higher protein Greek style yogurt opting for the lower protein, watered-down American variety of yogurt. I really did enjoy the crunchy texture and flavor of the sliced almonds. That technique of smooshing raw almonds into the batter and toasting them while the muffins baked was a slick one I'll remember.

Worth doing again? Well, yep. I'm going to have to if only to test my yogurt hypothesis. Even these dense ones are good; probably three million times better than poop.

Cost:

• flour: $0.44
• sugar: $0.18
• yogurt: $1.40
• oil: $0.25
• lemon: $0.59
• egg: $0.29
• almond extract: $0.49
• almonds: $2, SWAG
• powdered sugar: $0.21

Total: $5.85 or $0.49 for each of 12 muffins.