Dorie has done it again and brought such simple joy! These were fabulous on so many levels:
1) The crisp, tight flavor of fresh lemon was great after so many gray days of temperatures below 20 degrees, and anticipated wind chills FAR below zero.
2) The sour cream in the better makes the muffins wonderfully moist. They popped out of the muffin tin without a crumb left behind, and the few crumbs I spied on the napkin that I ate off of at my desk this morning easily came together with my fingers as I hurried to mop up every. last. one. Seriously.
3) The smell of lemon pastry really freshened up a house that hasn’t seen an open window in months. I should bake these weekly just for the emotional high that brought.
I thought these were wonderful, and I don’t think I’ll ever eat a lemon muffin from the office cafeteria ever again. There must be both health and financial benefit in that. The Other Eater, on the other hand, merely thought they were “good.”
But my baking experience left me with a question for my fellow cooks. I made 6 muffins with paper muffin cups for sharing with others, and six straight in the muffin tin for eating at home. The paperless muffins for a lot taller than the paper-wrapped muffins, and I’m wondering why. Any ideas?
In general I’m thinking that next time I’ll make 10 naked muffins for oversized indulgence, just so you know.