Recipe: Ginger Pear Muffins
It may be apple season, but don't forget the appeal of pears, which are wonderful in baked goods, such as these muffins.
Apples tend to get all the attention this time of year and I don’t begrudge them at all! But keep pears in mind because their subtle perfumes and flavors make for wonderful baked goods as well. Ginger and pear form a lovely partnership here with just a little boost from cardamom and cinnamon. To peel or not to peel is completely your call. I like to peel the slightly rougher skins of the Bosc, but the Bartletts have tender enough skin to leave on if you want the extra boost of fiber and nutrition. And if you can locate Comice pears, I find their silky textured flesh and full flavor just about perfect for baking.
Ginger Pear Muffins
Makes 8 muffins
Dry Ingredients
1 cup all purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup oat bran
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon sea salt
Wet Ingredients
1 large egg, beaten lightly
4 oz pastured butter, melted
1 cup plain yogurt from pastured cows — not Greek style, which would be too thick
2 Tablespoons freshly grated ginger
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 ½ cups cored, peeled and diced pears. I use either Bosc or Bartlett varieties.
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line muffin tin with muffin liners or lightly butter the tin.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flours and oat bran, light brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Once they're well combined, add in the melted butter, yogurt, egg, and ginger, cardamom and cinnamon. Stir until just combined before folding in the diced pear.
3. Transfer batter to the prepared muffin tin and turn heat down to 400 degrees. Bake for 23-25 minutes or until a toothpick or skewer comes out clean.
4. Remove the muffins from the tins right away and let them cool on a wire rack — this prevents the muffins from getting soggy in the tins as they cool.
