again with the pears.

i was going to make cobbler from the leftover pear pie filling but i decided on muffins thinking brian would like that better. turns out he apparently "only" likes blueberry muffins. too bad for him because they turned out delicious. more for me i guess.

i adapted the double blueberry muffin recipe from butter sugar flour eggs. it is my absolute favorite dessert cookbook and probably the most beautiful cookbook i own. maybe the most beautiful cookbook in the world. in case you don't have your own leftover pear pie filling, here is how you make it:

½ c. golden raisins
2 T. minced crystallized ginger
2 c. diced ripe pears
1 T. melted butter
1 tsp. lemon juice
¾ tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

combine raisins and ginger in a small saucepan with enough water to just cover. simmer until liquid is completely absorbed, about 15 minutes. combine raisin mixture with pears, butter, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg, stirring to coat evenly.

muffins:
8 T. butter
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
3 c. pear pie filling (above)
1½ c. flour
½ c. whole wheat flour
½ c. milk
½ tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ginger

preheat oven to 375º. cream butter until smooth. add sugar and mix. add eggs, vanilla, baking powder, and salt, and mix together.

in a shallow bowl, mash about ¾ cup of the pear mixture with the back of a fork. add to the batter and mix well. with the mixer running at low speed, add 1 cup of flour and half the milk, mixing well. add the remaining ½ cup of flour, whole wheat flour, remaining milk, and spices, and mix well. fold in remaining pear mixture by hand.

spoon mixture into muffin tins, about ¾ full. bake until golden brown and risen, about 25 to 30 minutes. makes about 20 muffins.


they did not rise very much and i don't know why, maybe the whole wheat flour and the pears were just too much for the baking powder? i may have to play with the recipe. they taste heavenly, especially warm. nicely spiced but not too overdone. cakey and crumbly but not too sweet. just the way i like my muffins. yum.