Spring Berry Meyer lemon and Coconut Muffins

I love the way the natural seasons play into our Napa Valley life . The beginning of April signals the start of spring with a special treat and the call to prepare for more good things to come. The treat is fresh abalone that Nick, my husband, picks from the coastal rocks of Mendocino. He brings them home and we celebrate with all our local friends and family in a grand abalone fest. Nick has written more about that in his blog Wild About Napa.  Forni-Brown-Welsh gardens supply wonderful heirloom produce to all the best restaurants in the valley. Around this time of year they open up their gardens and sell their pampered plants to the neighborhood. I look forward to the succulent vegetables I will be picking later in the year as I make my way through the greenhouses choosing the varieties for Nick to plant out in the garden. Anticipated pleasures can be fun.

Back in the kitchen I like to use the last of the Meyer lemons and the first of the spring berries to make these scrumptious muffins. Sweet and juicy from the berries with a little tang from the lemons you will love them for breakfast or with your mid morning cup of coffee. Here’s a video of me making them or you can see the picture recipe below.

Meyer Lemon Berry Muffins

Start by measuring out the ingredients. From Back to front:

2/3 Cup – Granulated sugar
1 Can – Coconut Milk
1 Cup – Shredded Coconut
2 Cups – Self rising flour
4 Ounces – Unsalted Butter, softened
Zest of one Meyer lemon
12 Blackberries
1/2 Cup Blueberries
1/2 Cup Strawberries, about quarter inch dice. 

Sift the flour into a  mixing bow, add the butter and rub it in with your fingers like my Mum  used to do or use a fancy pastry cutter if you have one until you have a coarse mixture. Small lumps are good.

 

Now add the sugar, coconut, strawberries, blueberries and Meyer lemon zest and gently mix them in being careful not to squish the berries.

 

 

Beat an egg, mix it in with the coconut milk, add to the dry ingredients and fold together with a soft spatula.

 

 

Distribute the mixture evenly into 12 muffin cups, top with a blackberry and sprinkle with a little brown sugar to give a nice color and a sweet crunch. 

Pop into your oven, preheated to 400 F, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. 

 

How simple was that! Enjoy these muffins with a bowl of fresh fruit for breakfast or serve them to your friends with a mug of great coffee.

Bon appetit!

Gillian