Long time readers of this little blog might have realised that I have a thing for pears. Actually, I could go so far as to say that I adore them. Not only do they taste great... pears are packed with nutrition, are high in fibre, potassium and essential vitamins (such as thiamine, riboflavin and vitamin C); and are low GI. What's more, they have virtually no fat or cholesterol, and are non-allergenic, so they're perfect for those like me, who have a few pesky food intolerances or allergies. Another of their qualities is theirs looks. Pears look superb, particularly when presented whole in desserts or baked goods, such as these rather gorgeous-looking pear and muesli muffins, brought to you courtesy of the good folks at Sydney Markets. For more information about pears, visit the Australian Pears website. You might also like to explore a few of my very own pear-based recipes. PEAR & MUESLI MUFFINS 6 small (about 140g each) just-ripe pears (i.e. Williams or Packham) 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1½ cups self-raising flour, sifted ⅓ cup caster sugar 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon ¾ cup buttermilk 2 free-range eggs, lightly beaten ½ cup rice bran or vegetable oil ¾ cup natural muesli 2 tablespoons demerara sugar or raw sugar Preheat oven 180°C fan-forced. Line a 6-hole x ¾-cup capacity muffin pan with café papers or large muffin papers. Cut 3cm from the top of each pear, leaving the stem intact. Set tops aside. Quarter, core and finely chop three of the remaining pears. Gently toss chopped pears in lemon juice. The remaining unchopped pears are not required for this recipe – give them to the kids to nibble on while the muffins are baking. Combine flour, caster sugar and spices in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre. Whisk buttermilk, eggs and oil in a jug until well combined. Add buttermilk mixture, chopped pears (drain juice) and ½ cup muesli to dry ingredients. Stir until just combined (don’t overmix). Spoon mixture into prepared pan. Gently press a pear top (stem-side up) into the centre of each muffin. Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup muesli and the demerara or raw sugar. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until skewer inserted comes out clean. Stand for 10 minutes in pan then turn out onto a wire rack to cool and serve. Preparation time 25 minutes | Cooking time 25 minutes + cooling time | Makes 6. Recipe and image appear kind courtesy of Sydney Markets. Note, this is not a sponsored post. Tell me dear readers, do you love pears as much as I do? What's your favourite way of eating them or cooking with them?
18 Comments
17/8/2017 01:57:48 pm
Do I like pears as much as you do? I doubt it -- is it even possible for someone to like pears more than you do? :-) But I do like them A LOT! Good muffins -- thanks.
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I like pears too but for a weird reason. In fifth form biology we did a semester on botany and I remember sectioning and staining pieces of pear and being fascinated by the stomata structure and then learning the stomata give the grittiness to the flesh when you eat a pear.
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18/8/2017 12:50:25 am
Looks interesting to try. Will try it soon for something unique and different.
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18/8/2017 02:04:24 am
Those are absolutely adorable!! I love how they look and can only imagine how good the smell when baking. I do love pears. Especially roasted with pecorino cheese. Mmm. :-)
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Jenni Shum
18/8/2017 02:23:28 am
Yummmmm! Will definitely give these a try!
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18/8/2017 08:35:38 am
How cute are those? What a creative muffin recipe! I just love how it looks like a whole pear in the muffin.
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21/8/2017 01:57:47 am
I love these muffins, what a perfect breakfast idea as we ease into fall!
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23/8/2017 07:42:20 am
What a clever recipe, Liz! I thought you had found some really cute little pears! I am going to try this...I love it!
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24/8/2017 01:31:36 am
These look delicious Liz. Knew you'd find a way to incorporate pears into muffins ;) xx
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17/3/2018 07:28:25 am
These look scrumptious and wholesome. I love the pear tops poking out. My favourite pear recipe is pears poached in red wine, a classic, but delicious. I'm going to try these though soon.
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Cooking and writing have been a lifelong passion. Join me as I share with you my favourite recipes; postcards and morsels from my travels; conversations with cookery writers and chefs; and news on food, cookbooks and cooking. - Liz Posmyk
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NB: I use Australian standard measuring cups and spoons in my recipes.
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