Breakfast: Scandinavian Rye Muffins

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

Ingredients

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (from a 1/4-oz package)
1 1/2 teaspoons packed light brown sugar
1 cup warm water (105-115 °F)
2/3 cup rye flour
1 3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated fresh orange zest
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon anise seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 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
1/2 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

Instructions

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.

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