Carrot & Rye Muffins with Raisins

Nordic Bakery by Miisa Mink is my favourite cookbook of 2011. It is distinctly spartan in the best possible manner. I like a bit of zen in food too. The recipes are wholesome and simple, utilizing rye, barley and whole wheat flours. I decided to pass the classic cinnamon rolls for the day and instead settled on healthy carrot and rye muffins.

The recipe calls for dried blueberries but raisins are a good substitute. I would recommend adding pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds and any other dried fruits as it is quite a versatile muffin.

Recipe:

• 50g dark brown soft sugar
• 2 tbsp molasses
• 60 ml boiling water
• 150g wholemeal rye flour
• 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground allspice
• 40g desiccated coconut
• 40g raisins/ dried blueberries (or any other dried fruit)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 50 ml sunflower oil
• 120g carrots, finely grated

Preheat the oven to 180°C and line the muffin tin with paper cases. Finely grate the carrots and set aside.

Put the sugar, molasses and boiling water in a bowl and stir well to dissolve. Let the mixture cool.

In a separate bowl, mix the rye flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, spices, desiccated coconut and raisins. Add the egg, oil, carrots and the sticky sugar mixture to the dry ingredients and mix everything briefly until incorporated. Take note that the mixture will be dryish and easy to spoon into the muffin cups.

Drop the now very healthy looking mixture into the tin and bake muffins for 20 to 25 minutes. They should rise and take on a brown colour.

They aren’t glamourous looking, I know, but they are soft and chewy. Definitely breakfast muffins. I suggest eating them with a warm glass of milk.