MEYER LEMON OLIVE OIL ROSEMARY MUFFINS WITH CANDIED PANSIES

Meyer Lemon Olive Oil Rosemary Muffins with Candied Pansies image

Provided by Food Network

Time 50m

Yield 24 muffins

Number Of Ingredients 12

4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 pinches salt
2 cups granulated sugar
2 Meyer lemons, zested and juiced
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 eggs
Candied Pansies, recipe follows
4 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
Pansy petals
1 egg white, beaten
1 cup sugar

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, add the sugar and lemon zest and rub together to extract the oil from the zest. Put the bowl into the stand mixer and add the olive oil. Mix on high speed until a paste forms. Beat in the eggs, 1 at a time. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix on low speed. Add some of the lemon juice and continue mixing. Repeat adding flour and lemon juice for each egg. Stir in the rosemary. Pour the batter into the muffin tins, filling about 3/4 full. Bake until a toothpick tester inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 16 to 20 minutes. Remove the tins from the oven and allow to cool. Arrange the muffins on a serving platter and garnish with candied pansies.
Brush the petals with egg white, removing the excess and dredge them in sugar. Arrange the petals on a sheet tray and leave out overnight to crystallize.
Alternately, heat the oven to 200 degrees F. Arrange the petals on a sheet tray and put it into the oven. Turn the oven off and allow them to crisp, but not color.