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Active Time
25 min
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Total Time
3¼ hr
Inspired bylimpa bread, these lightly spiced, yeasted muffins are flavored with caraway, cumin, anise, and orange zest. They are satisfying without being heavy, and a sprinkling of sea salt finishes them off nicely.
Ingredients
Makes 24 small muffins
Special Equipment
Step 1
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.)
Step 2
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.
Step 3
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter muffin pans.
Step 4
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.
Step 5
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:
Step 6
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.
Step 7
Muffins can be made 2 days ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
Step 8
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.
Leave a Review
Reviews (9)
Back to TopMade them large in regular muffin cups. Lovely crust and texture.
MSC
Arlington, VA
12/17/2022
I've had this recipe flagged since the 2006 issue, and finally got around to making them. Amazingly good! Used a little extra salt and caraway on top, otherwise followed recipe. Easy, light, and moist, thin crunchy crust on the outside, delicious with aged cheddar. Definitely going into rotation. Made 11 regular-size muffins, they baked in 25 minutes.
Tom
Toronto, Canada
8/23/2022
DO NOT use a hand mixer!!! "Sticky dough" is an understatement - it climbed up the beaters and into the mixer. Spent way too much time cleaning. Taste is good, muffins themselves are extremely light, but recipe can be written more simply.
Eatyourfood!
Munich, Germany
3/29/2021
I have wanted to make these since I saw the recipe in Gourmet in 2006. (better late then never) They have great flavor and texture. I am going to freeze then and see how they reheat. Serving them on St. Patrick's Day with cornbeef hash!
lkrummrich1
Belleville, IL
3/9/2013
A lot of work, for ho hum results. The smell was incredible, and the dough performed perfectly (rise times accurate, etc.). They were OK when first made. Flavor was unusual, but more muted than I expected. I tried to like it more than I actually liked it. Worst though, they got really dry the next day. I followed the make ahead instructions, but they came out DRY AS A SHUCK!
brittydear_cook
3/17/2012
So I made these a few years ago and people are STILL asking for them at every family event. This year it is the rolls with our Thanksgiving meal.
heidijackson
Kenmore, WA
11/24/2010
Makes 12 delicious full-sized muffins that would make good dinner rolls. I left out the star anise and substituted wholemeal flour for the plain, and dark brown sugar instead of molasses. The orange zest is a nice touch.
gizmodoc
Canberra, AUS
7/22/2010
*Next time I will double the recipe: 24 mini muffins are not worth the effort!* This bread is remarkable. Not heavily spiced but very interesting. I cook too frequently with cumin and caraway, so almost omitted them for a new taste but I'm glad I didn't! The balance of spices is perfect, such that none overwhelms the others and they harmonize beautifully, creating something truly different. The crust was nice and crunchy, the interior springy and tender. I made two tiny flat loaves instead of the mini muffins, baking them at 350 for 50 minutes; that worked nicely.
waffleston
berkeley, ca
11/8/2009
I saw this recipe 2 years ago and it's taken me that long to make it but everyone loved it. I will make agian, I am sure
Anonymous
belleville, il
1/10/2009
So far, the family comments are been fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!
subab7184
Montreal, QC
9/17/2006
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