Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins with homemade labneh

👨‍🍳 Method

For the homemade labneh ✓ Homemade · or skip – back to store-bought

1. 1
   Mix the yogurt with the salt.
2. 2
   Line a strainer with a double layer of cheesecloth set over a bowl, pour in the yogurt and tie up the ends of the cloth.

   ColanderCheeseclothBowl
3. 3
   Refrigerate 24 hours, until the labneh is thick.

   Refrigerator

   💡The longer the yogurt strains, the thicker the labneh: a day for a spread, and another day or two for balls.
4. 4
   Spread on a plate, make a well and drizzle the olive oil over it and sprinkle with the za'atar.

   Plate

For the Cake

1. 5
   Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and grease a muffin pan.

   OvenMuffin tin

   💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
2. 6
   In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, poppy seeds, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

   Bowl
3. 7
   In another bowl, whisk the eggs, oil, labneh, lemon juice and lemon zest.

   BowlWhisk
4. 8
   Pour the wet mixture into the dry and Fold gently, just until no dry flour remains.

   Silicone spatula

   💡Combine only until no dry flour remains: a brief mix keeps muffins soft and moist, and overmixing makes them tough.

   💡Fold with a spatula, in broad strokes from the bottom up, and stop when there's no dry flour: vigorous mixing of a batter with flour develops gluten.
5. 9
   Fill the pan cups with batter to ¾ of their height.

   Muffin tin
6. 10
   Bake 18–20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

   OvenMuffin tin

   💡Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.
7. 11
   Cool 5 minutes in the pan and transfer to a rack.

   Cooling rack