Lemon Ricotta Blackberry Muffins
Recipe from an unknown source. "I added the lemony sugar topping from my favorite Blueberry Muffins to these and they tasted incredible! It added just the perfect amount of crunch to these moist muffins!"
Recipe from an unknown source. "I added the lemony sugar topping from my favorite Blueberry Muffins to these and they tasted incredible! It added just the perfect amount of crunch to these moist muffins!"
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- topping:
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- for the muffins:
- 1 cup ricotta cheese
- 1 1/2 teaspoons zest from 1 lemon finely grated
- zest of 2 lemons
- 1 cup fresh blackberries
- Carbohydrate 18.7004160619231 g
- Cholesterol 72.2798611334129 mg
- Fat 20.5168500080569 g
- Fiber 1.33936114948163 g
- Protein 5.68389819887867 g
- Saturated Fat 12.5676455327453 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (102g)
- Sodium 1917.20270619721 mg
- Sugar 17.3610549124415 g
- Trans Fat 1.64886638949518 g
- Calories 280 calories
Step-by-step
- For the topping: In a small bowl, stir together sugar and lemon zest. Rub between your fingers; set aside.
- For the muffins: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with muffin liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the sugar and lemon zest. Rub the lemon zest and sugar together with your fingers. Attach the paddle attachment and beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest mixture together until light and fluffy, about two minutes. Add the ricotta cheese and beat until smooth. Beat in the egg, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Using rubber spatula, fold in flour mixture until just combined (do not overmix.) (batter will be thick)
- Fill each muffin cup halfway with batter. Add three blackberries to each muffin cup. Top the muffins with remaining batter so blackberries are covered. Sprinkle lemon sugar topping evenly over muffins.
- Bake muffins for about 20-25 minutes, or until the tops are slightly golden brown. Cool muffins in muffin tin for 5 minutes before serving.
Making baked goods with fresh citrus and perishable dairy requires managing moisture content and mechanical force to avoid toughness. Rubbing grated lemon zest directly into granulated sugar ruptures the citrus oil glands, releasing aromatic compounds into the dry crystals before the butter ever enters the mixer bowl. Using whole-milk ricotta adds dense moisture without thinning the batter, keeping the crumb tender while yielding twelve standard portions from a single batch. Stand mixers fitted with paddle attachments handle the creaming phase efficiently, but folding the dry ingredients by hand prevents gluten overdevelopment in the all-purpose flour.
Maximizing Fresh Ingredients
Fresh blackberries contain high water weight that can disrupt baking if the fruit makes direct contact with hot metal edges. Suspending the berries entirely inside the surrounding thick batter prevents scorching and preserves fruit integrity during the twenty to twenty-five minute bake time at 350 degrees F. Lemon juice used in the topping creates a sandy, crisp crust when mixed with sugar. Resting baked goods in the tin for five minutes solidifies the structure before transfer.
- Fold flour mixtures gently using a rubber spatula to avoid dense textures.
- Cool finished items on wire racks after the initial five-minute pan rest.
- Check internal doneness visually when tops turn slightly golden brown.
