Poppy seed apricot muffins work on a principle we approach differently from many puff pastry recipes: the pastry here is not the main structure but becomes a flexible shell for a creamy quark and poppy seed filling. While regular muffins need a firm batter that holds its shape, the puff pastry takes on that role and at the same time brings a crispy texture.
We have been making these muffins regularly for years because they come together quickly and go down well at any coffee gathering. The combination of crispy puff pastry, creamy poppy seed filling and tangy apricot jam covers three textures without us having to mix three separate batters.
Poppy Seed Apricot Muffins with the Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 12 ✓
- 170 g sugar
- 275 g puff pastry
- 1 lemon
- 1 sachet vanilla sugar
- 200 g Mascarpone
- 200 g low-fat quark
- 2 eggs
- 50 g ground poppy seeds
- 25 g plain flour (Type 550)
- 130 g apricot jam
- 20 g Amaretto
- butter for greasing
Instructions 0 / 9
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1
Pulverise the sugar.
Add the sugar to the mixing bowl and pulverise for 10 sec / speed 10, then set 80 g aside.
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2
Roll out the puff pastry.
Roll the puff pastry out with a rolling pin to approximately 40 cm x 50 cm.
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3
Cut out circles. Cut out 12 circles, each 10 cm in diameter (a glass with a suitable rim works well for this).
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4
Preheat the oven.
Preheat the oven to 180°C top and bottom heat.
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5
Line the muffin tin.
Grease a muffin tin well with butter and line each hole with one puff pastry circle.
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6
Prepare the quark cream.
Wash the lemon in hot water and grate roughly half the zest into the mixing bowl.
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7
Squeeze the lemon and add 1 tbsp of juice to the mixing bowl along with the vanilla sugar, Mascarpone, quark, eggs, poppy seeds and flour. Stir for 10 sec / speed 3.
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8
Bake the muffins.
Distribute the filling evenly among the muffin cases and bake for 30 minutes in the lower third of the oven. Leave to cool, then carefully remove from the tin.
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9
Decorate.
Stir the apricot jam together with the Amaretto until smooth and place 1 tsp on top of each muffin. Dust with icing sugar and serve.
Tip: Try topping your muffins with cherry jam or another liqueur for a change!
Nutrition per serving
Puff pastry as a muffin case
The puff pastry is rolled out to 40 cm x 50 cm and cut into 12 circles with a 10 cm diameter. A glass with a suitable rim works well for this. The circles are placed directly into the greased muffin tin and automatically form the outer wall during baking. It is important that the pastry stays cold until it goes into the tin, otherwise it becomes too soft and collapses.
While the puff pastry is in the oven, the heat from below creates a stable base. The filling pushes the pastry outward against the tin, which gives it the typical muffin cup shape. At 180°C top and bottom heat, this takes 30 minutes in the lower third of the oven.
Quark and poppy seed filling in the Thermomix®
The filling consists of low-fat quark, Mascarpone, ground poppy seeds, eggs, lemon zest and a small amount of flour. The Thermomix® blends everything in 10 seconds at speed 3 into a smooth mixture. The flour ensures the filling sets during baking and does not remain liquid. 25 g is enough because the eggs and quark already provide plenty of structure.
The lemon zest is important. It is freshly grated, not just the juice alone. The zest provides essential oils that lift the poppy seed flavour without making the filling taste sour. A tablespoon of lemon juice is added as well, to balance the sweetness of the sugar and vanilla sugar.
Apricot jam after baking
The apricot jam is not baked in but added to the cooled muffins afterwards. The reason is simple: during baking, the jam would caramelise and harden. Instead, we stir it smooth with 20 g of Amaretto and place 1 tsp in the centre of each muffin. The Amaretto enhances the almond note that is present in both the poppy seeds and the apricot.
If you prefer to leave out the Amaretto, you can use the jam as it is or stir it smooth with a little water. The finish of icing sugar on top is optional, but gives the muffins a neat appearance.
Blue poppy seeds, not grey
For this recipe we recommend blue poppy seeds because they have a more intense flavour than grey ones. The difference lies in the oil content: blue poppy seeds contain around 50% oil, grey only 40%. This makes them more aromatic and gives the filling greater depth. Grey poppy seeds work technically as well, but produce a flatter flavour.
Ground poppy seeds lose their aroma quickly because the essential oils oxidise. We therefore buy them in small quantities and store them in the fridge. Freshly ground poppy seeds from whole seeds would be ideal, but for just 50 g it is rarely worth the effort.
Leftovers the next day
The muffins keep for 3 days in an airtight container in the fridge. The puff pastry loses a little crispness but remains pleasantly firm. Before serving, they can be warmed briefly in the oven at 150°C, which brings the crispness back.
Freezing does not work well because the quark filling becomes watery when thawed. If you want to prepare the muffins in advance, bake them the day before and keep them chilled. Add the apricot jam just before serving.
Goes well with: Coffee and vanilla ice cream.
Goes well with: Dream Slices Thermomix®.
More Thermomix® baked goods recipes that go nicely with poppy seed apricot muffins: walnut biscuits, cinnamon rolls or quark oil bunnies.
