A few days ago a bag of lemons found its way to my home from a neighbor who always shares her bounty. What shall I make? Lemon bars? Lemon curd? A tart? Perhaps some avagolemono soup? I just wanted to enjoy all of the lemony goodness these little gems were going to provide my family, I decided to make our favorite roasted chicken with a few lemons in the cavity for flavor. Later I made the kids a pitcher of fresh-squeezed lemonade. Those little guys think it is hot right now, which all of us in the North State know is hilarious. With my lemon bounty disappearing before my eyes, I decided to bake a morning treat. Some mornings just require a perfect cup of coffee, preferably Peet’s, and a muffin right out of the oven. Today I am sharing my Lemon Ginger Muffin, which can be quite versatile. Add blueberries, blackberries or even a few tablespoons of poppy seeds for even more charm in these little gems.
Printer-friendly recipe here.
Lemon Ginger Muffins
1 cup all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature 6 tablespoons sugar 1 egg 1/2 cup buttermilk 3 tablespoons fresh grated ginger zest of 2 lemonsPrepare muffin pans by lightly buttering and if using, placing muffin liners in.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Sift together flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add egg, mixing until fully incorporated.
Slowly add half the dry mixture to the butter. Add half the buttermilk. Add remaining flour mixture and buttermilk. Mix until combined.
Stir in the ginger and lemon zest.
Spoon batter into muffin cups until about 3/4 full.
Bake 15-20 minutes, or until tester comes out clean.
Enjoy!
Andrea Charroin was a trained baker and pastry chef in San Francisco before she and her family moved to Redding 10 years ago. After falling in love with Redding’s downtown, Andrea and husband Westley opened a little pastry shop, Rene-Joule Patisserie, across from the Cascade Theatre. For the three years Rene-Joule was in business, it was renowned for making everything from scratch, using the best ingredients and keeping with a seasonal menu. To this day, Andrea is asked about her Marathon Bars, Orange Twists and sourdough bread.
Copyright 2009 Andrea R. Charroin. Visit her blog at bakerslove.typepad.com
