These muffins are little pockets of lemony-coconut magic. They have a level of moistness usually only found in friands.
The uncooked muffins are topped with shredded coconut, cooked, and then have lemon syrup poured on top. This gives them this amazing crunchy-sour-sweet thing going on.
I didn’t make these muffins. Last week I moved back to Melbourne from London and was too busy, well, moving in to my new apartment, to bake.
But my friend Megan (who has posted on here previously) rocked up on my door step and filled my freezer with a variety of muffins (oh yes, more than one type) to tie me over until I could get baking again. How lovely is that?
Oh, and she bought wine, cheese and a few baking basics to get me started. Yea, I know! I’d marry her too if I was that way inclined.
These lemon syrup and coconut muffins were so pretty and tasty I asked her to write up the recipe for me.
My new oven and I are currently eyeing each other up like two cowboys in a western. I can literally here the spurs on our boots rustling as we start our ten paces. So while I stand in my kitchen staring at my oven crazy-like over a glass of wine, here is Megan’s write up.
Take it away Megan!…
When life hands you lemons, make muffins!
This lovely, moist muffin recipe comes via an old work mate, Maggie, who used to keep me really well fed with a variety of yummy soups, desserts and pickles and jams.
You’ll need two lemons for this recipe to get enough juice and rind.
Ingredients
2 cups self-raising flour
90 grams butter, at room temperature
¾ cup caster sugar
1 cup desiccated coconut
1 tablespoon grated lemon
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup coconut cream or milk
2 tablespoons shredded coconut
Lemon syrup
½ cup caster sugar
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons grated lemon rind
¼ cup lemon juice
Method
- Preheat an oven to 190 degrees and grease a 12 cup muffin tin.
- Sift flour into a large mixing bowl, rub in butter with your fingers. Stir in sugar, coconut, rind, egg and coconut cream.
- Spoon mixture into the prepared tin, sprinkle with the shredded coconut and bake for about 20 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean and muffins are golden.
- To prepare lemon syrup: Combine all ingredients in pan, stir over heat, without boiling until the sugar is dissolved. Simmer for two minutes without stirring.
- Pour hot lemon syrup over hot muffins and then turn onto a wire rack to cool. Makes 12
Healthy? 270 calories a muffin.
Storage: They freeze well, otherwise best eaten within a couple of days. Store in airtight container.
Freeze? They’d be all gone before I get to the freezer!! Just sounds absolutely delicious…I’m thinking some Limoncello syrup might work too!!
I think limoncello syrup would go down a treat!
The pouring of the hot syrup over the muffins is a nice touch. No doubt these are delicious and your pictures are tempting.
I am not a muffin maker so I am going to cruise about your site for the easiest ones to begin to learn.. I have muffin pans! c
Yay! I have to say I think the raspberry and white chocolate are one of the most fool proof. And, the flavours are so good it doesn’t matter if you under or over bake them (I’ve done both!) http://clevermuffin.com/2011/05/18/raspberrywhitechocmuffins/
Looks awesome and we still have some dessicated coconut too. Happy early birthday, since I can’t send you a drink maybe I’ll just share this on Facebook.
That sounds awesome, thanks, happy birthday to me 🙂
Oh my, I would love to eat a few of these right now! Great job Megan!
These muffins sound absolutely delicious. I adore lemon baked goods and the coconut just takes it over the top for me. YUM!
Oh YUM! I love coconut . . . I love a moist muffin . . . and I love lemon! So this looks like a winner to me.
Good luck as you make friends with your new oven! =) Your Western shoot-out image made me giggle.
What a clever muffin 😀 These look awesome! Yet another great recipe. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you post a “duff one” 😛
I think “duff one” may be an Americanism? But I get the gist, and take it as a compliment 🙂
A must do for me!! Love lemon and coconut, together in a muffin…. it must be heavenly!
Did someone say lemon!? Mmm these look delicious. I would gobble these up in no time.
What an amazing combination of flavors and so beautiful! That Megan is a winner. Please tell her I said so and since I have offered up my home for you to stay should you come to So. Cal., I have kindly decided that Megan can come too—provided that she brings these muffins. 🙂
Lemon and coconut with a hot lemon syrup?? I’m in love with these muffins, thanks Megan;-)
Congratulations on your move back to Melbourne- a whole new world of muffins to explore!
You had me at the bit about the crunchy sweet sour thing… and I love the cowboy showdown!
How much sugar for the muffins? You mention it in the method, but there’s none listed in the ingredients.
Oh, so sorry.!.. 3/4 cup of caster sugar, just fixed up the recipe too.
Yum, a reminder to make it again some time soon!! i have been having some pretty bland muffins of late (not made by me of course) LOL. If you are going to scoff a big, fat muffin, it better be a mega delicious one i say. So decided to have another sticky at your site for some motivation. The raspberry one sounds great. I just made a VERY simple, and ultra delicious raspberry and amaretti biscuit dessert from Poh’s cookbook. Megan…. not a meat feast book…. tee hee.. Maggie XX
Lol – I agree, sometimes only the full taste full butter version cuts it!!
[…] Another awesome lemon recipe is lemon syrup and coconut muffins – zesty fabulousness I tells […]
I don’t know what caster sugar is, or dissicated coconut, and how much is 90 grams of butter. Sorry I have never seen these items, I live in New Mexico, USA please help. Sounds Yummy.