SCANDINAVIAN RYE MUFFINS

Scandinavian Rye Muffins image

Lightly spiced and flavored with caraway seeds and crystals of sea salt, these yeast-bread muffins are satisfying without being heavy.

Categories Spring Rye Muffin Bread Spice Caraway Orange Anise Cumin Molasses Peanut Free Soy Free Vegetarian Easter

Yield Makes 24 small muffins

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

1½ teaspoons active dry yeast (from a ¼-oz package)
1½ teaspoons packed light brown sugar
1 cup warm water (105-115°F)
⅔ cup rye flour
1¾ cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons finely grated fresh orange zest
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon anise seeds
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¾ teaspoon caraway seeds
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus additional for greasing
2 tablespoons molasses (not blackstrap)
Vegetable oil for greasing
1 large egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash
½ teaspoon flaky sea salt such as Maldon
Special Equipment
an instant-read thermometer; 2 nonstick mini-muffin pans with 12 (1¾-inch-wide) muffin cups

Steps:

Stir together yeast, brown sugar, and ¼ cup warm water in a large bowl until yeast is dissolved. Let stand until foamy, about 15 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.)
Whisk together rye flour, 1 cup all-purpose flour, zest, salt, anise seeds, cumin, and ½ teaspoon caraway seeds. Add flour mixture along with melted butter, molasses, and remaining ¾ cup warm water to yeast mixture and beat with an electric mixer at medium speed 5 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add ½ cup all-purpose flour, beating until combined. Add remaining ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour and beat until incorporated. (Dough will be very sticky.) Scrape down dough from side of bowl with a rubber spatula and let rise, bowl covered tightly with plastic wrap, in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1½ hours.
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter muffin pans.
Stir down dough (it will be too sticky to punch down). Divide dough evenly among 24 muffin cups, about a rounded tablespoon per cup. (Grease tablespoon with oil as necessary to prevent sticking.) Let dough rest, uncovered, in a draft-free place at warm room temperature 30 minutes. Gently brush tops of muffins with some of egg wash, then sprinkle with sea salt and remaining ¼ teaspoon caraway seeds.
Bake until muffins are puffed and a wooden pick or skewer inserted into center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes. Turn out muffins onto a rack and cool to warm or room temperature.
Cooks' Notes:
Dough can be made (but not allowed to rise) 1 day ahead and chilled, bowl wrapped tightly in plastic wrap. Put chilled dough in muffin pan as directed and let rise 1 hour, then proceed with recipe.
Muffins can be made 2 days ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
Muffins keep, frozen in sealed plastic bags, 2 weeks. Reheat on a baking sheet in a preheated 350°F oven until muffins are heated through, 8 to 10 minutes for frozen.