Pear-Thyme-Bacon Muffins

This small and hearty snack variant is a welcome change in the homebaking bakery. Regardless of the occasion, it creates a surprise and the spicy muffins look just great on a nicely set table. 

If you would like you can make this recipe with a long and cold proof without any changes. 

The recipe idea came from the Thermomix Bread Baking Book.

Recipe

For 12 Pear Thyme Bacon Rolls

Pre-dough / Biga:

  •   70g Water 
  • 130g Spelt flour Type 630
  •     1g Yeast

Allow to rise for 1 hour at room temperature and then for about 12 hours, if possible overnight, in the refrigerator. 

Rye sourdough

  • 130g Water
  • 100g Rye flour Type 960
  •   10g Starter

Mix together the flour, water, and starter and let it mature for 12 hours. Dough temperature should be 24-27°C.

Main dough

  • 190g Water 
  • 400g Wheat flour Type 550 or 700
  •     5g Fresh yeast
  •   10g Salt
  •   20g Honey
  •    30g Butter
  •   2 tsp. Thyme
  •          Oil for working
  •       2 pears, firm flesh 
  •     24 strips of bacon, thin sliced

Production:

  • Knead the water, pre-dough, rye sourdough, yeast, wheat flour, salt and honey into a smooth dough. Mix & kneading time takes about 5 minutes slowly and 3-4 minutes on a fast speed. 
  • Add the butter and thyme towards the end of kneading time and knead again for 1-2 minutes on fast. 
  • Then fill the dough into an oiled dough tub, cover and let it mature for 45 minutes at room temperature. 
  • In the meantime, peel the pears and cut into 1 cm cubes. Distribute the pear cubes over the dough and carefully work them in. 
  • Place the dough on a floured work surface, using a dough card divide into 12 pieces (each about 100g) and roll into rounds. 
  • Cover and let the dough balls relax for 30 minutes. 
  • Meanwhile, cut 24 strips of raffia, each 40cm long and dip into oil. Knot 2 strands of raffia in the middle, place them in a cross shape in the cups of the prepared muffin tins and place 2 strips of bacon on top in a cross pattern. 
  • Then place a dough ball on top of the prepared bacon strips. Knot the raffia threads over the rolls at a distance from the dough so that they still have some space to rise.
  • After working-up, allow the bacon-pear muffins about 30-45 minutes to proof. 
  • The dough is baked at 230°C with steam / 25 minutes
  • Cool the pear-thyme-bacon muffins on a cooling rack and then serve.

TIP:

If you don’t have a large muffin tin, you can bake the rolls directly on a baking tray. They will spread out a bit during baking. 

Variation:

There are many possible variations here, for example; small chopped olives or anchovies in the dough, also italian herbs instead of the thyme works really well.