All My Eggs

I found myself surrounded with a bowl full of ripe pears this weekend.  I was actually planning on baking with pumpkin, but my husband thought that he would help me out, and peeled all those ripe pears!  So, I really had to think quickly, and make something with the pears instead!  Bless his heart!

I remembered that I had made some muffins from the ‘Moosewood Restaurant New Classics’ cookbook that has apples in them, and I thought that they would probably be great with pears!  And they are heavenly!  I hope that you enjoy the recipe (please note, I have changed the original recipe, this is my version)…..

Pear Muffins w/ Crumb Topping

Wet ingredients:

6 tbsp butter, at room temperature

1/4 c. granulated sugar

1/4 c. brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1/2 c + 2 tbsp milk (I use nonfat)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 c. chopped pears (I used Anjou)

Dry ingredients:

2 c. unbleached white all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

dash of nutmeg

Streusel topping:

1/4 c. unbleached white flour

1 1/2 tbsp cold unsalted butter, chopped into small pieces

1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar, packed

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Preheat your oven to 350°

1.  In a mixing bowl cream together the butter and sugar.  Add the egg and beat well.

2.  Measure out the milk in a cup and add the vanilla extract, stirring to blend. Set aside.

3.  In another bowl, use a fork to mix together the dry ingredients, just until well blended.

4.  Slowly add the dry ingredients to the sugar, butter and egg mixture, alternating with the milk.  ( add some of the dry ingredients, some of the milk mixture, more of the dry ingredients, etc).

5.  Slowly stir the wet and dry ingredients together by hand, until well blended.  Be careful not to overstir them.  Fold in the chopped pears.

6.  Now mix up the streusel topping.  Start by adding the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg  in a bowl, and stir to mix them together.  Now, using a fork or pastry blender, blend in the cold butter pieces until the mixture is crumbly.

7.  Lightly oil or insert cupcake liners in your muffin tins.  Fill each tin 3/4 of the way up with the batter.  Take about 1 tbsp of the streusel topping and sprinkle it on top of each muffin.

8.  Bake the muffins for about 20 – 30 minutes, or until a pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Note:  These muffins are very moist!  Enjoy!