Blackberry-Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

The daintiest blackberry and lemon flavored muffins.  Perfect for spring!

Blackberry-Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

Ingredients:
6 ounces fresh blackberries
2 tablespoons seedless blackberry preserves
Cornmeal
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons poppy seeds
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
1 cup reduced fat milk
1 1/4 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons finely chopped toasted almonds

Directions:
Preheat oven broiler; line a small sheet pan with foil, and place blackberries on pan. Warm the preserves in the microwave for 10-20 seconds, or until liquid; pour over berries, and toss until well combined.
Broil for 2-3 minutes, or until berries start to caramelize.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 9 muffins cups with cooking spray; sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon cornmeal into bottom of each cup.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, sift together all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder and salt; stir in sugar and poppy seeds, until well combined.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter, egg, milk, lemon peel, lemon juice and vanilla extract, until well combined. Stir flour mixture into liquid mixture, until just combined; gently fold in blackberries.

Divide batter into 9 muffin cups, and sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon cornmeal over each muffin cup, followed by almonds. Bake at 350 degrees F, for 20-23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out with moist crumbs attached. Cool for 10 minutes, run a knife around outside edges, and lift muffins out onto a wire rack, to cool completely (or not).

Yield: 9 muffins.