Marbled Muffins made with homemade strawberry jelly are our family favorite. The muffin batter is mildly sweet with a touch of acidity from the strawberry jelly. I used strawberry extract and lemon zest in the batter and repeated both flavors in the jelly.
The muffins have a subtle elegance that makes a perfect treat for tea parties or for children’s birthdays or play dates. I’ve made them for both, and they’re always a hit. The design is my own attempt at modern art; I put a dollop of the jelly on top of the batter and then use a toothpick to draw in random designs. It’s not Jackson Pollock, but hey, I’m sure it tastes better than his paintings!
1. Info for Strawberry Muffins
- Cook Time: unavailable
- Total Time: unavailable
- Servings: 24
- Calories: unavailable
2. Ingredients for Strawberry Muffins
- 3 eggs
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- zest of 2 lemons
- 2 teaspoons strawberry extract
- 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/3 cups whole milk
- 1/3 cup canola oil (or any neutral oil)
- 1 cup frozen strawberries, thawed at room temperature
- 1/2 vanilla bean
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon corn starch (optional)
3. Directions:
- Purée the thawed strawberries in a blender. Using a large mesh strainer, filter the strawberries and discard the solids.
- Using a paring knife, scrape and gather all the grains of the vanilla bean.
- In a small bowl, dissolve the corn starch in 2 tablespoons of water.
- Place the strawberry purée in a small non-reactive saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Skim off any foam that develops on the top. Cover and cook for about 5-8 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir frequently to prevent the strawberries from burning at the bottom of the pan. Add the vanilla grains, the corn starch liquid, powdered sugar, zest of 1 lemon, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1/8 teaspoon of salt. Cook until the mixture is thickened. To check if the jelly is ready, place a little amount of jelly onto a cold plate and let cool for about 2 minutes. If you tilt the plate and it stays in place, it’s ready. Allow to cool completely.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Separate the egg yolks from the whites.
- Beat the egg yolks in a mixing bowl with half the amount of granulated sugar until they’re pale, yellow; the texture of the egg yolks will be thicker. Add the vanilla and strawberry extracts.
- In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda.
- Combine the egg yolk mixture, dry ingredients and zest of a lemon. Add milk and oil.
- In another bowl, add the remaining salt to the egg whites and whisk for about 2 minutes at a low speed. Add the rest of the granulated sugar, increase the speed of your mixer and keep beating for another 2-3 minutes until it forms stiff peaks. Don’t over-beat or the texture will become grainy.
- Using a silicone spatula, mix 1/3 of the whipped egg whites into the egg yolk mixture to soften it. Add the rest of the whipped egg whites and fold in gently to get an airy batter.
- Place a baking cup in each muffin mold. Pour in the muffin batter. Spoon about 1 to 2 teaspoons of strawberry jelly on each muffin. Using a toothpick, create a pretty design. Bake for 5 minutes at 375°F; lower the temperature to 350°F and bake for another 20-25 minutes. A skewer or a toothpick inserted into a muffin should come out clean. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool completely.
- Bon appétit!
