Lemon-Glazed Candied-Ginger Muffins

Inspiration:
I wanted to make Martha Stewart's recipe for Lemon-Glazed Candied-Ginger Cookies, but of course I didn't read the recipe all the way through before I bought all of the ingredients. When it came time to make them, I didn't feel like rolling out the dough and using a cookie cutter, chilling between steps, and so on.

SO, I found this recipe for Lemon and Candied Ginger muffins.


Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup butter, soft
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tbsp zest)
• 3/4 cup milk (low fat is ok)
• 1/2 cup candied ginger, in small pieces
• 2-3 tbsp lemon juice
  
• 1 cup confectioners sugar

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
3. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the lemon zest and vanilla extract.
4. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the milk to the butter/sugar mix, working in two or three additions and beating at a low speed (or by hand) only until just combined. Stir in candied ginger.
5. Divide batter evenly into prepared muffin cups and bake for about 15 minutes, until a tester comes out clean and the top of the muffin springs back when lightly pressed.
6. Cool on a wire rack, drizzling with lemon glaze (below) while muffins are still slightly warm.
7. In a small bowl, combine confectioners’ sugar with enough lemon juice to make a glaze that will drizzle easily from the tines of a fork. You don’t have to be exact, and can always add either a bit more juice or a bit more sugar to achieve a good consistency.
   
8. Drizzle a little glaze over each muffin and let dry for at least a few minutes before serving.

Tim's Rating: 8.5/10
Liz's Rating: 7.5/10