Orange Poppy Seed Muffins

These orange poppy seed muffins (you can make them lemon flavoured, if you so choose, which is the form the original recipe came in) are sweet, moist and they're best when they're warm.  They're good for an afternoon tea snack or as a dessert!

Recipe Adapted From: The Fundamental Techniques of Classic Pastry Arts by The French Culinary Institute
Ingredients - cupcake
250g plain flour
1 tsp bicarb soda
1/4 tsp salt
115g butter/margarine
175g white sugar
2 eggs
200g sour cream
50g lemon or orange juice
Zest of one lemon or orange
14g poppy seeds (2 tbsp)

Ingredients - syrup
150mL lemon or orange juice
50g white sugar

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 175C (350F).  Line a 12-cup muffin/cupcake tin with patty pans, or alternatively just grease the bottom and sides with butter.

2. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

3.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.

4. Add the sour cream and lemon juice (I used the juice of the orange that I zested, and made up the rest of the weight with bottled lemon juice).  Beat until incorporated.

5. Add the flour, bicarb soda and salt.  Mix slowly or fold in until just combined.

6. Add the lemon zest (I used orange zest) and poppy seeds.  Stir gently until incorporated.  Make sure that the poppy seeds are evenly dispersed amongst the batter!

7. Spoon the batter into the cupcake tin and bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

8. Transfer the muffins a wire rack to cool slightly.

9. To make the syrup, combine your orange or lemon juice with the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat.  Stir over the heat until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture begins to boil.

10. Using a pastry brush, coat each muffin with the syrup.  Really douse them so they're all moist and delicious!

11. Serve the muffins as soon as possible!  

They look good when dusted with icing sugar, and they also go well with buttercream!