Lemon muffins recipe

If you're looking for a treat with a citrusy twist, these lemon muffins are absolutely perfect.

Much like our lemon poppy seed muffins, these sticky-sweet lemon muffins are infused with the zest and juice of fresh lemon. Top with a gooey meringue coating before serving. The sweetness of the meringue and bitterness of the lemon pair perfectly together. This recipe makes a batch of 12 muffins.

Ingredients

For the lemon muffins:

• 175g caster sugar
• 175g butter, softened
• 3 medium eggs, beaten
• 175g self-raising flour
• finely grated rind and juice of 1 lemon

For the meringue:

• 6 egg whites
• 300g caster sugar

For the filling:

• 12tbsp lemon curd

Method

1. Preheat oven to Mark 4, 180°C, 350°F. Lightly grease a 12-hole muffin tin. Cream together sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Pour in egg a little at a time, add 1tbsp of flour with each addition and beat well. Beat in remaining flour with lemon rind and juice, mixing well.
2. Half-fill each mould with mixture and level the surface. Bake for 20-25 mins until golden and cooked – test with a skewer; it should come out clean. Let the muffins cool in the tin for about 5 mins, then loosen with a knife around the edges. Transfer to a rack and leave to cool.
3. Split each muffin in half and place the tops on a baking sheet. Put the bases to one side.
4. For the meringue, whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until they form stiff peaks (this means you can hold the bowl upside down above your head and it will not fall out). Whisk in the caster sugar, a spoonful at a time.
5. Spoon a little meringue onto the 'lid' of each muffin and spread to the edges. Place under a preheated grill for 1-2 mins, until the meringue browns slightly.
6. Remove the 'lids' from the grill and transfer to a wire rack. Leave to cool completely. Put a large spoonful of lemon curd onto each of the reserved bases, then sandwich together with the meringue tops. Keep in an airtight container until ready to serve

Top tips for making lemon muffins

This recipe would work just as well using orange or lime instead.

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