Pomegranate-Ginger Muffins

Mmmm...haven't tried this yet. Sounds good. Next time pomegranates are on sale, this is my #1 priority!(or 24 mini, 6 jumbo)

• Ready In: 20 mins
• Yields: 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 2  cups flour
• 2⁄3 cup sugar
• 1  tablespoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄3 cup crystallized ginger, minced (check out Crystallized Ginger for how to make your own!)
• 1  teaspoon fresh lemon zest
• 1 1⁄4 cups pomegranate seeds
• 1  cup milk
• 1  egg, beaten
• 1⁄4 cup butter, margarine,melted or 1⁄4 cup  vegetable oil
•  sugar, for topping

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. Grease 12 muffin tins.
3. Mix dry ingredients (sugar, flour, baking powder, salt) in a large bowl.
4. Mix wet ingredients (milk, egg, oil/butter, lemon zest) in a medium bowl.
5. Make a"well" in your dry ingredients and pour in your wet ingredients until just mixed.
6. Overmixing will make your muffins tough.
7. You may want to undermix it a bit and finish your mixing with the next step when you add the pomegranate/ginger.
8. Fold in pomegranate seeds and ginger.
9. Spoon into greased muffin tins.
10. Sprinkle tops with sugar, which will caramelize in the oven and make a lovely sugary top.
11. Bake for 10-15 minutes until puffed and golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
12. Let cool for 5-10 minutes in the tin, then remove and cool on a cookie rack, or serve.
13. You may use mini-muffin tins or jumbo muffin tins, but the cook time will vary.
14. Muffins tend to need to be watched carefully, regardless.
15. Another possibility might be to mix some powdered ginger (a small amount, it is strong) with your sugar topping.