Similar
to the last time, the muffin recipe comes from my Aunt Rae.
These
Sultana and Rosemary muffins were always my favorite, although I never said no
to her rhubarb muffins, either. Okay, I never said no to any of her muffins.
I
remember the day when we were on the phone planning my visit from Albany, New
York, to her home in Saxton’s River, Vermont – a short two hour drive.
Knowing
that I love to cook, she was always on the lookout for unique and unusual
things to make for me. I can hear her voice now: “Say, David, I found a
recipe for muffins with rosemary but I can’t find fresh rosemary in the store.
Can you bring some with you?”
I half
think she was making them for shock value. Herbs in a sweet dish? Who’d have
heard of such a thing? Especially in her generation, before celebrity chefs
began vying for the oddest possible combinations.
She ended
up loving them, as did I – and Mark was an instant devotee. There always seemed to be a batch of
them in her freezer, even up until the day she died.
I made
them – and her
Blueberry Muffins – for a staff meeting. There were many
requests for the recipe, so here it is.
~ David
Sultana
and Rosemary Muffins
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup sultana (golden) raisins
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup butter, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 tablespoon coarse turbinado sugar
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
Combine milk, sultana raisins and rosemary in a two-cup glass measure and microwave at high power (100%) for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes; keep an eye on it, as it can boil over easily. Let raisins as milk stand an additional two minutes. (This can also be done in a small saucepan. Bring milk and raisins to a simmer, then remove from the heat and let stand 2 minutes.) Add butter, stirring until melted. Cool to room temperature.
Whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl; make a well in the center. Combine milk mixture and egg, then add to flour stirring just until moist. Spoon batter into muffin cups and sprinkle coarse sugar evenly over muffins.
Bake for 20 minutes or until muffins spring back when lightly touched in the center. Remove from the pan immediately and cool on a wire rack.
Makes 12
muffins.
Nana
June 13, 2015 at 3:48 pmSounds delicious, can't wait to try this recipe.
Cocoa & Lavender
June 13, 2015 at 5:44 pmThanks, Nana! They are delicious and so different, too!
Cathleen
June 13, 2015 at 7:09 pmI would have thought this was for the shock value as well! I would have never dreamed up this combo! But I'm intrigued!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 14, 2015 at 6:32 pmI think you would love these, Cathleen! I can't eat just one!
Liz (Good Things)
June 13, 2015 at 9:58 pmOh how I love unusual but delicious flavour combinations! This one fits the bill! Thanks David xx
Cocoa & Lavender
June 14, 2015 at 6:33 pmI know, Liz – she really knew how to combine fun flavored!
Andrea_TheKitchenLioness
June 14, 2015 at 6:25 amDear David, combining herbs in sweet in recipes is always delightful.
Liebe Grüße aus dem sonnigen Bonn – we are visiting the beautiful city of Jülich today for an "Artist Fair", I cannot wait!
Andrea
Cocoa & Lavender
June 14, 2015 at 6:35 pmI have learned a lot from you about adding herbs into sweets, Andrea! Vile Spaß zum Feste in Jülich!
Nicole - RieglPalate.com
June 14, 2015 at 11:40 amDelicious! I love rosemary in muffins. And I learned something new – I didn't realize golden raisins were also called sultana raisins. Thanks, David!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 14, 2015 at 6:36 pmThey should do much more exotic, don't they Nicole? The same with zänte for currants!
Cheri Savory Spoon
June 14, 2015 at 4:42 pmHi David, I love the sweet and savory combination, I've made rosemary cookies and thought they were delicious. I bet these are wonderful. Love to be in one of your staff meetings, sounds like everyone is pretty spoiled by your treats.
Cocoa & Lavender
June 14, 2015 at 6:38 pmLuck, Cheri, almost everyone on staff loves to bake- none of us suffers terribly! Hope you are enjoying your cool weather!
Unknown
June 14, 2015 at 5:49 pmI love the story about Aunt Rae! Looks like she was a pioneer with the shock value combinations! These look womderful David, but I have a confession, I don't like raisins in my baked goods 🙂
Don't know what it is, I love them in rice and such, and love grapes but add raisins in my cookies or muffins? Oh no. 🙂
But for you, I would gladly try these 🙂
I do love rosemary, in everything.
Cocoa & Lavender
June 14, 2015 at 6:40 pmWell, I feel bad when I tell people that I don't like nuts in chocolate!
Since this combines sweet and savory, maybe you would like these? Happy weekend!
John | heneedsfood
June 14, 2015 at 9:43 pmI'm the same as you, David, as I haven't made muffins for well over 18 months. I just never think of them! The addition of rosemary sounds like perfection.
Cocoa & Lavender
June 15, 2015 at 1:47 amSo, John… what is this about? Are we simply not muffin boys? Sigh…. I will make these again so, though, because the staff are them all…
Sippity Sup
June 14, 2015 at 9:50 pmI never knew golden raisins were called Sultana! I'm going to have to quit using that as my pet name for Ken. GREG
Cocoa & Lavender
June 15, 2015 at 1:48 amBut I shouldn't call him that when I respond to his wine posts, right?
Flat Fee MLS
June 16, 2015 at 12:02 amThis is a new recipe for me, and I can't wait to try them.
Cocoa & Lavender
June 16, 2015 at 1:04 pmI hope you enjoy them!
Unknown
June 17, 2015 at 12:52 pmYour Aunt Rae sounds like a wonderfully entertaining lady! What a fun flavor combo. Thanks for sharing!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 17, 2015 at 1:23 pmThanks, Cali! She was pretty wonderful – we had so much fun together, and I miss her every day.
Colette (Coco)
June 17, 2015 at 4:05 pmYou know, the Italians like to do this strange pairing and it turns out delicious.
What a special recipe. I will have to taste these very soon!
Hope your doing well. xo
Cocoa & Lavender
June 22, 2015 at 2:40 pmYou know, Colette, I had never thought about it but you are so right! I have tons of Italian recipes that mix sweet and savory – starting from Renaissance times!
Cathleen | My Culinary Mission
June 29, 2015 at 11:06 pmI have been known to navigate toward the different when it comes to recipes, and these look and sound delicious! Saving this and hoping to make them soon! Thanks, David!
Cocoa & Lavender
June 30, 2015 at 5:18 amWell, as we know, Cathleen, variety is the spice of life!
I Wilkerson
July 1, 2015 at 11:57 amI am thinking it would be fun to use dried cranberries instead of sultanas and call them Christmas muffins! I have savory scones on my list right now!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 5, 2015 at 3:55 amWhat a great idea, Inger! I can't wait to try that, too!