Candied Meyer Lemon Almond Bundtlettes #BundtBakers

These candied meyer lemon almond bundtlettes have the most wonderful lemon and almond flavor with a rich tender crumb. They bake up with a lovely golden exterior that I brush with lemon syrup for even more moisture and lemony flavor.

This month my Bundt Baker friends are sharing cakes they’ve fancied up with decorations. I do believe that more is more when it comes to sprinkles but this time I decided to go a more natural route when I settled on baking a lemon almond cake.

Months ago my mom sent me a link to a recipe on David Leibovitz’s site with a request for me to please bake it for her. Of course I said yes and then completely forgot when I got back to Houston. It was well past time to pony up!

Candied Meyer Lemon Almond Bundtlettes

In order to un-complicate this recipe, I have posted the instructions for the candied Meyer lemon slices here: https://www.foodlustpeoplelove.com/2020/05/candied-lemon-slices.html
They are super easy to make and turn out so pretty, perfect for decorating these little bundtlettes.

Ingredients
5 1/2 tablespoons or 50g all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
7 ounces or 200g unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups or 125g almond flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup or 200g sugar
zest of 1 large lemon
3 large eggs, at room temperature
juice of 1 large lemon (about 2 tablespoons), divided

To decorate:
candied lemon slices

Optional to brush on:
lemon syrup

Method 
Preheat the oven to 350ºF or 180ºC and prepare your bundtlette pan by buttering it liberally then coating it with flour. Mine is called 65th anniversary Bundtlette and has a capacity of 5 cups.

In a small bowl, whisk together the almond flour, all-purpose flour, and salt.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the sugar, and lemon zest to release the oils from the zest.

Add in the butter and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes on medium-high speed.

On low speed, beat in the eggs one at a time, then the juice from half a lemon, stopping the mixer to scrape down the sides of the mixer bowl after the addition of each egg.

Stir in the flour mixture until completely incorporated, then scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan. Smooth the top.

Bake the bundtlettes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let cool 5 minutes before loosening the edges and middle with a toothpick and turning them out onto a wire rack to cool.

Brush with lemon syrup from the candied Meyer lemon slices.

 Top each with a candied lemon slice.

Enjoy!

Check out the other "dressed up" Bundts we are sharing today. Many thanks to our host, Sandra from Sweet Sensations.

• Boozy Orange Ginger Bundt from Passion Kneaded
• Candied Meyer Lemon Almond Bundtlets from Food Lust People Love
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Bundt Cake from Making Miracles
• Million Dollar Bundt Cake from Sweet Sensations
• Mocha Bundt with White Chocolate from Sneha's Recipe
• Triple Oreo Bundt Cake from Simply Veggies
• Whipped Cream Bundt Cake from I Love Bundt Cakes
• White Chocolate Mocha Cake from Patyco Candybar
  

#BundtBakers is a group of Bundt loving bakers who get together once a month to bake Bundts with a common ingredient or theme. You can see all of our lovely Bundts by following our Pinterest board. We take turns hosting each month and choosing the theme/ingredient. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about BundtBakers can be found on our home page.

Pin these Candied Meyer Lemon Almond Bundtlettes!

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Candied Lemon Slices

Candied lemon slices are beautiful perched atop a cake but we have been known to eat them as is. They are a lovely combination of tart and sweet and they are wonderfully sticky.

I’ve made candied peel before but never with whole slices so this was kind of an experiment. I can’t tell you how pleased I am with how they turned out.

Tomorrow I am sharing a recipe for lemon almond cakes topped with these beauties!

Ingredients
1 Meyer lemon
1/2 cup or 100g sugar, plus 1 tablespoon sugar for sprinkling
1/4 cup or 60ml water

Method
Cut the ends off of the lemons and then slice the rest of the lemons into 1/8-inch-thick rounds; discard the seeds.

In a large skillet over a low heat, stir together 1/2 cup or 100g of sugar and water until the sugar is completely dissolved. Squeeze in any juice left behind in the ends of the lemon.

Add lemon slices, and simmer gently, keeping slices in a single layer.

Bast occasionally with the simple syrup and cook for about 14 to 16 minutes or until the middles are slightly translucent and rinds are softened. You can also turn the slices if you do it carefully.

Preheat your oven to 100°F or 38°C and line a pan with baking parchment.

Lift each lemon slice out of the pan with a spatula so the syrup can drain off and place it on the prepared baking pan.

Sprinkle it with the additional sugar.

The simmering syrup can be cooled and kept refrigerated in a clean jar to be used for glazing cakes or making cocktails.

Put the pan in your preheated oven for one hour, or until the peels have almost dried out. We like them still a little bit sticky.

Use to decorate cakes or, as I mentioned before, you can just eat them!

Enjoy!

Pin these candied lemon slices!

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Lemon Zucchini Muffins #MuffinMonday

Fresh and fluffy, these lemon zucchini muffins have the added crunch of poppy seeds. I also baked them with stoneground wholegrain flour in addition to the all-purpose stuff, which gives them a little extra oomph of flavor. Delightful!

Summer is winding down here on the Island. That word is always capitalized in all local publications, as if there could never be any question about which island they are writing about, despite Jersey being one of several here in the English Channel.  I am completely charmed each time I see it.

Last weekend the National Trust for Jersey had an open day at several of their heritage sites. Rather ironic that as National Trust members, we could have enjoyed any of the sites free all year round but chose to go on the one day a year entrance fees are waived for the whole public.

We chose to visit one of the last working flour mills on the Island. It’s in a gorgeous woodland setting, if you look one direction, yet not far from a busy road, just across a field of grazing sheep, in the other. The mill is powered by a natural stream and manned by volunteers in period costume.

I had a delightful conversation with a lady pretending to make Jersey wonders (or des Mervelles -a local fried bread, similar to doughnuts) for the entertainment of visitors. (She admitted that they were actually salt dough and wouldn’t be fried.)

Best of all, they were selling the stoneground wheat flour at the very reasonable price of £3 for 1.5kg or to convert units, $3.70 for 3.3 lbs. So far I’ve used it in pizza dough (fabulous!) and in these excellent muffins. Feel free to leave me suggestions for future bakes with stoneground wholegrain flour, please!

Lemon Zucchini Muffins

If you don’t have access to stoneground wholegrain flour, you can substitute more all-purpose flour, adding perhaps a 1/4-1/3 cup more so the batter isn’t too wet. Wholegrain flour absorbs more liquid than all-purpose flour. Check out this whole wheat conversion graphic for more details.

Ingredients
7 3/4 oz or 210g zucchini, stems removed
3/4 cup, firmly packed, or 150g dark brown sugar
Zest 1 large lemon
1 1/3 cup or 167g all-purpose flour
1/2 cup or 60g stoneground wholegrain flour
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup or 120ml canola or other light oil, plus extra for greasing the muffin pan
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Method
Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C and grease a 12-cup muffin pan.

Grate the zucchini and dry it as much as you can by wrapping it in a clean cloth and squeezing. This weight of zucchini makes about 1 cup grated, before it’s compacted by squeezing.

In a large mixing bowl, zest the lemon onto the brown sugar then use a spoon to press the zest into the sugar, releasing its natural oils. You are doing it right when the fragrance of lemon is powerful and cheery.

Add in the two flours, poppy seeds, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Whisk till combined.

Add in the squeezed zucchini and stir with a fork to break up the clumps.

In another mixing bowl, whisk the oil, eggs and lemon juice. Fold your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients until just combined.

Divide batter into the prepared muffin pan.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and puffy. Remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes in the pan, then transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Check out all the other great muffin recipes my Muffin Monday friends are sharing today. A special thank you goes out to Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm for her help with behind the scenes work.

• Banana Muffins with Peanut Streusel from Passion Kneaded
• Lemon Zucchini Muffins from Food Lust People Love
• Oatmeal Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Pizza Muffins from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• The Best Banana Muffins from Making Miracles

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all of our lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday can be found on our home page.

Pin these Lemon Zucchini Muffins! 

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Lemon Cream Cheese Muffins #MuffinMonday

These fluffy lemon cream cheese muffins are the perfect breakfast or teatime treat, with just the right amount of sweetness to balance the zippy lemon juice and lush cream cheese.

If you have only ever lived in one place, you might be amazed at the disparity of ingredients that exists from one country to the next. I’m not talking about specialty items either but things we completely take for granted in one place, that is unavailable in another.

When we were living in France, for example, I had no problems at all finding whole fat yogurt for our infant and toddler who, since they were younger than two years old still needed the milk fat for brain growth. Or so said the nutritional authorities at the time. But when we were on holiday visiting family in Houston, all the yogurt seemed to be low fat.

The reverse is true of firm cream cheese in blocks. They are standard in every American grocery store but many places overseas, for instance here in the Channels Islands, cream cheese comes in tubs and is whipped, completely unsuitable for recipes calling for normal cream cheese.

I get around these problems by having a shopping list for every country I travel to. In Malaysia, I buy crispy chili prawn paste, dried shrimp, good morning towels, Chinese sausage, curry powder and chili pork, just for a start.

In the US, there are many items on my list, which includes but is not limited to smoked sausage, dried black beans, Jif peanut butter, microwave popcorn, Crystal Light lemonade mix, Aunt Jemima Butter Light syrup, Karo, pecans and Crisco. You get the idea.

Recently we took the ferry to France and the shopping list was long! Wine, cheese, duck confit and saucisson, of course, but also practical things like rubbing alcohol, concrete nails and our favorite mayonnaise by Lesieur. Also on the list was cream cheese in blocks! Just so I could make these muffins.

What do you haul home from your travels, whether abroad or from another city or county close by? Extra points if it’s an ingredient I’ll then feel the need to add to my shopping list!

Lemon Cream Cheese Muffins

Fresh lemon juice and zest are preferable but if all you’ve got is lemon juice in a bottle, make these muffins anyway. They’ll still be delightful.

Ingredients
2/3 cup or 132g sugar
Zest 1 lemon
2 cups or 250g flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup or 120ml milk
1/2 cup or 120ml canola or other light oil
1/4 cup or 60ml fresh lemon juice
2 eggs
5 1/3 oz or 150g cream cheese

Method
Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C and prepare your 12-cup muffin pan by lightly brushing it with oil or lining it with silicone muffin cups.  When I am baking with cheese, I find it’s best not to use paper muffin liners because the cheese can stick to it. If you have a non-stick muffin pan, that would be ideal.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together your sugar and lemon zest. Set aside a rounded tablespoon of the lemon sugar for topping.

Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to the sugar bowl and mix thoroughly.

In another smaller mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, oil, lemon juice and eggs.

Cut the cream cheese into cubes and add them to the flour mixture. Stir gently to coat the cubes so they don’t stick together.

Pour your wet ingredients into your dry ones and fold until just combined. A little flour might still show.

Divide the batter between the muffin cups and top with the reserved lemon zest sugar.

Bake in your preheated oven for about 20-25 minutes or until the muffins are golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes in the pan then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Check out all the delicious muffins my Muffin Monday friends are sharing today:

• Lemon Cream Cheese Muffins from Food Lust People Love
• Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins from Palatable Pastime
• Peach Zucchini Muffins from Farm Fresh Feasts
• Sourdough Oatmeal Raisin Muffins from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Zucchini Morning Glory Muffins from Passion Kneaded

#MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all of our lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday can be found on our home page.

Pin these Lemon Cream Cheese Muffins! 

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Ginger Lemon Snaps with Ginger Glaze

Ginger and lemon are best mates, as the lovely Jamie Oliver would say. The warmth of the fresh ginger is enhanced in this pretty cookie by the addition of bits of crystallized ginger and a bitey ginger glaze on top and brightened beautifully by the sharp fresh lemon juice and zest.

Ginger Lemon Snaps with Ginger Glaze - Click here to print recipe

Ingredients
For two and a half dozen cookies:
3 1/2 cups or 440g flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Zest of one medium lemon
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 small knob fresh ginger (about 1 oz or 15g after peeling)
1/3 cup or 75g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup or 200g light brown sugar
2 eggs

For decorating: About 2 oz or 60g crystallized ginger plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar to separate the sticky bits when chopped

For the ginger glaze:
2/3 cup or about 85g powdered sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Pinch salt
1 1/2 - 3 teaspoons milk

Method
Preheat oven to 375°F or 190°C and prepare your baking pan by greasing lightly or lining with parchment paper. A dab of butter or a quick shot of non-stick spray under the paper will keep it from sliding around on the pan.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine your flour, baking powder, soda, salt and lemon zest.  Set aside.

Chop your crystallized ginger into little bits and put them in a small bowl with the 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar. Rub the ginger and sugar between your fingers until all the bits are coated with the sugar and no longer stick together. Set aside.

Peel and grate your fresh ginger.

With electric beaters or in your stand mixer, beat the sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. This takes just a couple of minutes.

Add in the eggs and beat again. 

Your grated ginger and lemon juice should go in now. Beat again for just a few seconds. 

Add the flour mixture in TWO lots, mixing well in between.

Scoop one tablespoon of dough out onto your prepared cookie sheet for each cookie. If you are using an actual tablespoon, you can roll them into balls and then flatten them for a more uniform appearance.

Sprinkle the top of each dough disk with crystallized ginger bits and sugar.  Press them down a little bit into the dough to stop them falling off after baking. 

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the cookies are golden on the bottom and set on top. 

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes in the pan and them put them on a wire rack to cool completely.  

Meanwhile, make your glaze by combining the powdered sugar, ground ginger and the pinch of salt.  Add milk a tiny bit at a time, stirring very well in between, until you reach drizzling consistency.  You may not use all the milk. 

I like to use a piping bag for more uniform drizzling of glaze but you can also put your glaze in a plastic bag and cut off one tiny corner for the same effect.  When the cookies are completely cool, drizzle on the glaze.

Enjoy! 

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