Assortment of Muffins
By Cat, Jun 2008 (Photo, right, from Wikimedia Commons)
- See also: 1. Breads & Muffins Menu; 2. Grains, Flours & Starches (About) Menu; 3. Crumb or Nut-Crumble Topping for Muffins; 4. Sugar and Other Sweeteners Menu; 5. Bread Basics (Yeast-Leavened Breads)
- Includes: 1. Yeast-Risen Rye Muffins (Limpa Muffins); 2. Miscellaneous Info; 3. Original recipe (un-adapted)
This recipe is a muffin version of Swedish Limpa bread, which is yeast-risen (originally, Limpa was sourdough-risen). See Epicurious: Scandinavian Rye Muffins (originally from Gourmet magazine (1)). One of these days I’ll adapt it here. I’d also like to adapt this to using a rye sourdough starter instead of yeast.
I have converted the original ingredients to the versions I prefer; and I include the original, un-altered recipe below.
Miscellaneous:
Notes (from original recipe):
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.
Variations & Additions
These are Cat’s ideas, not included in original recipe:
Dredge in 1 -2 Tbsp of the flour, any of the following, Then mix into the proofed yeast along with the flour (or stir into the sifted flour, before adding to proofed yeast). If using a presoak method, use from the ‘next day’ flour to dredge and stir in after mixing the batter.
- ½ cup chopped dates
- mix of dried fruits to total 1/2 cup
- ½ cup shopped fresh apple (with peel)
- mix of apple and walnuts or pecans to total 1/2 cup
If you like a more moist muffin, add a bit of apple sauce or pureed apple with the other liquids (if using a presoak method, you can add this to the presoak mixture).
Yeast-Risen Rye Muffins (Limpa Muffins)
I’ve adapted the original ingredients to the versions I prefer to use, but have not yet made any other changes to the recipe; I’ll do that when I test it.
Makes 24 mini-muffins.
Ingredients & Equipment:
- Proofing yeast:
- 1 ½ tsp active dry yeast (See also Yeast Conversions)
- 1 ½ tsp Rapadura sugar (or packed light brown sugar)
- ¼ cup warm water (105-115°F)
- Muffins:
- ⅔ cup dark rye flour
- 1 ¾ cups plus 1 tablespoon unbleached white all-purpose or unbleached bread flour, divided amounts
- 1 ½ tsp finely grated fresh orange zest
- ¾ tsp unrefined sea salt
- ¼ tsp ground cumin or cardamom
- ¼ tsp anise seeds (whole)
- ¾ tsp caraway seeds (whole, divided)
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus additional for greasing muffin cups
- 2 Tbsp molasses (not blackstrap)
- ¾ cup warm water (105-115°F)
- olive oil (for oiling spoon when filling muffin cups)
- topping (before baking):
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash
- ½ tsp flaky sea salt such as Maldon
- Equipment:
- medium and large mixing bowls
- instant-read thermometer (optional, for proofing yeast)
- flour sifter
- whisk (optional)
- large wooden spoon
- 2 mini-muffin pans with 12 (1 ¾-inch-wide) muffin cups
Method:
- Proof yeast: 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.)
- Muffins: Sift together rye flour, 1 cup white flour, salt and cumin or cardamom into medium bowl. Stir or whisk in zest, tsp anise seeds and ½ tsp caraway seeds.
- Add flour mixture along with melted butter, molasses, and remaining ¾ cup warm water to yeast mixture and beat with wooden spoon (at least 100 strokes) or electric mixer at medium speed 5 minutes. Add ½ cup white flour, beating until combined (if using mixer, set at low speed). Add remaining ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour and beat until incorporated. (Dough will be very sticky.)
- First Rise: Scrape down dough from side of bowl with a rubber spatula and let rise, bowl covered tightly with plastic wrap (or place bowl in plastic bag), in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 1½ hours.
- Second Rise: Butter muffin tins. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
- 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 olive 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.
Original recipe
This is the original recipe. It does not specify which type of rye flour is used (dark, pumpernickel, medium rye or light rye).
Makes 24 mini muffins.
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast (from a ¼-oz package)
- 1 ½ teaspoons packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup warm water (105-115°F)
- ⅔ cup rye flour
- 1 ¾ cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ 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
- 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 (1 3/4-inch-wide) muffin cups
Method:
- Stir together yeast, brown sugar, and 1/4 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 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds. Add flour mixture along with melted butter, molasses, and remaining 3/4 cup warm water to yeast mixture and beat with an electric mixer at medium speed 5 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, beating until combined. Add remaining 1/4 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 1 1/2 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 1/4 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.
