Beat winter blues with lemony blueberry muffins

My little Meyer lemon bush is barely 4 feet tall, but it’s having a banner year with dozens of smooth little lemons. What better way to beat the winter blues than a lemony blueberry muffin?

This muffin uses Meyer lemon juice in the batter and the glaze, giving it double lemon flavor. Meyer lemons (a hybrid cross that includes mandarin) are naturally sweeter than Eureka or other true lemons; if you substitute a tart lemon, cut amount of juice to 2 tablespoons.

The sour cream, milk and lemon juice combine to give these muffins a soft crumb and a good, golden crown. Key to a tall, bakery-style muffin crown is a hot preheated oven. Bake at 400 degrees and check after 15 minutes; smaller muffins, of course, bake faster than big ones.

The glaze couldn’t be simpler – stir powdered sugar together with lemon juice. For best results, remember to sift the powdered sugar to take out any little lumps; strain the lemon juice, too.

Meyer lemon-blueberry sour cream muffins with Meyer lemon glaze

Makes 12 to 16 muffins

Ingredients:

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup sugar

2 eggs, beaten

6 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

¾ cup milk

¾ cup sour cream

¼ cup Meyer lemon juice

1 tablespoon Meyer lemon zest

1 cup blueberries, washed and stemmed

For glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Prepare muffin tin: Grease or line cups with paper or silicone liners. Set aside.

Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, blend together sugar and beaten eggs. Mix in melted butter or margarine.

In a large measuring cup or medium bowl, combine milk and sour cream. Add lemon juice and lemon zest; mix well.

Add sour cream mixture to sugar-egg mixture; combine well. Stir in flour mixture until just combined; don’t overmix. Gently fold in blueberries. (Too much mixing will turn the batter purple-gray.) Batter will be thick.

Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each cup about three-quarters full.

Bake in a hot 400-degree oven until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes depending on muffin size.

Remove from oven and let cool.

While they're cooling, prepare glaze: In a bowl, sift powdered sugar. Add lemon juice and stir until smooth. Add a little more juice if needed for desired consistency. Spoon or brush glaze over muffin tops while muffins are cooling.

Note: These muffins freeze well.