I’ve been in Dubai for a week now, visiting family. So far I’ve managed to stay away from my laptop and I must say, vacation-mode has been wonderful. Amma (Adarsh’s mom) has been taking such good care of us – greeting us every morning with steaming hot chai before ushering us to a breakfast table groaning with savoury South Indian specialties – poori, bhaji, masala dosas, sambar, idli, uppuma, puttu, chana… I am quite possibly in heaven.
Everything is eaten with the hands – for the experienced, it can be done with class. For me, dining resembles a starving monkey’s first encounter with human food. Actually, it puts me exactly on the same eating skill level as my toddler – with every handful of soupy lentils I rush to my open mouth, half gets in – the rest is splattered over my shirt, the table, the floor, etc.
Good thing I’m otherwise adorable. 🙂
While I’ve been stuffing myself baboon-style with lentil-and-rice crispy pancakes and fluffy dumplings served with spicy-tangy tamarind-based sambar, it’s hard to remember breakfasting on a muffin. But if I had to turn in my Indian feast for any muffin, it would probably be this one.
Fluffy, tender lemon-y muffins studded with juicy sour cherries. Lemon and sour cherries are two of my favourite things, and I’m so happy I brought them together.
The sour cream makes them incredibly moist and rich, a perfect foil to the tart, juicy cherries. I even love their crimson-marbled appearance. They’re special enough to make it to my Christmas brunch table.
I made the recipe for a double batch because they disappear so quickly, and freeze so wonderfully – if you’re going to put the effort into making them, why not have some in the freezer for a busy weekday morning?
Sour Cherry Lemon Muffins
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour
- 1 ½ cup sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup melted butter
- 1¼ cup sour cream
- ¾ cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 4 tsp lemon zest
- ½ cup lemon juice
- 2 cup pitted sour cherries fresh, frozen (no need to thaw) or jarred (drained well)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with paper liners, or grease them with butter.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together melted butter, sour cream, milk, eggs, lemon zest and lemon juice. Add to dry ingredients and stir until just incorporated. Fold in cherries.
- Spoon batter into prepared muffin tin. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until golden brown and tops spring back when lightly pressed.
Great flavour but too much batter for 24 muffins. Probably closer to 30 muffins. Baking would then be more like the 18-22 minutes mentioned.