Persian Muffins (Keyk Yazdi)
These cakes are light and not too sweet. The cardamom and rosewater give it a distinctive Persian flavour. These are best served with hot tea or coffee.
For a more zesty flavour grate the zest from 2 oranges. You can also just use the zest of the of the 2 oranges if you do not like rosewater.
For the zest wash 2 oranges (organic would be my choice) thoroughly and then grate the zest. Avoid the yellowish/white pith.
Have all ingredients ready. Make sure that the butter is not colder than room temperature. It has to be soft.
Ingredients (For 12 large or 48 mini muffins)
- 2 sticks (1/2 lb) of butter at room temperature
- 1 cup of regular sugar (I use unbleached)
- 2 cups of all-purpose flour (I use unbleached)
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 cup of buttermilk (or 1/2 cup of plain yoghurt mixed with ½ cup milk)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp Saffron powder
- 1 tbs rose water
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 4 tbsp The Cherry Tree Hot Garlic Pickle
- 2 tbs of honey
- 250g Basmati Rice
- 20 unsalted pistachios chopped with a knife
- 1 small red onion
- A small handful of flat leaf parsley
- 1 ready-rolled puff pastry sheet (about 35x24cm)
- 40g butter
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 190 C (375 F)
- In a big bowl cream the butter and the sugar with an electric mixer. Start low speed and then go to a higher speed. Make sure all your sugar and all your butter are mixed.
- Then add the 2 eggs and continue mixing for about 4 minutes so that everything is well combined.
- Then sift the flour into the bowl in 2-3 stages. Continue mixing on low speed (stop add flour and mix,…). Just enough to have all the flour mixed with the batter. Don’t overmix.
- To the 1 cup of buttermilk (or ½ cup of plain yoghurt mixed with ½ cup milk) add 1 tsp of baking soda. Mix this slightly with a fork and add that to your batter. Add the saffron solution, rosewater and cardamom (and or the zest). Mix well together, do not overmix.
- Put muffin baking cups into your muffin pan. (either 48 small or 12 large) Fill the cups 2/3rd full.
- Bake at 190 C (375 F) for 15-17 mins if you are making mini muffins Or at 200 C (400 F) for 20 min. if you are using regular muffin pans Make sure they have a yellowish colour and don’t become brown.
- When you have brought them out of the oven wait 15 mins for them to cool down.
- In a small bowl mix the 2 tbs of honey and 1 tbs of hot water. Brush the diluted mixture on the muffins and sprinkle the finely chopped pistachios on them. You can also use sesame seeds. ENJOY!
