Spicy Walnut and Pear Muffins

Muffins certainly are a popular comfort food for millions and this spicy walnut and pear muffin recipe is without doubt one of my personal all time favorites. Yes it does have that exotic something or other that we all find so alluring. Enough of that let’s get to it.

Muffin Batter Ingredients

• 2 each of Pears, Bananas and Eggs
• 2 Cups of Flour
• ¾ Cup of Walnuts
• 1/3 Cup each of Granulated Sugar, Packed Brown Sugar and Vegetable Oil
• 2 Teaspoons each of Vanilla Essence (extract) and Baking Powder
• 1 Teaspoon of Cinnamon
• ¼ Teaspoon each of Nutmeg, Ground Ginger and Freshly Ground Sea Salt

Streusel Topping Ingredients

• 1/3 Cup each of Packed Brown Sugar and Chopped Walnuts
• ¼ Cup of Flour
• 2 Tablespoons of Cubed Cold Butter
• 1 Teaspoon each of Cinnamon and Desiccated Coconut

The Muffin Man

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, center rack in oven and then either; lightly grease your muffin tray, or spray your muffin tray with a non-stick cooking spray and/or line your muffin tray with paper muffin cups

   Note: You might find that a combination approach whereby you combine a light spray of your muffin tray with a non-stick cooking spray and lining it with paper muffin cups. This will ensure that even the stickiest (especially those with honey) and wettest of muffin batters won’t stick when doing it this way.
   
   Muffin Tray

2. Peel, core and dice the pears. For new season pears it is quite okay not to bother peeling the pears. Just don’t forget to remove the stalk and core.
3. Next up peel and mash the bananas (a fine slotted potato masher is ideal)
4. Using a medium sized mixing bowl combine the diced pears, the granulated sugar and the packed brown sugar. Toss until the pears are well and truly smothered.
5. In a second medium sized mixing bowl thoroughly combine the flour, baking powder, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon and sea salt. Once done; temporarily set aside.
6. Add the mashed bananas, the eggs, the vegetable oil and the vanilla essence (extract) into a mixing bowl and beat until blended. You can always use the pulse setting of your blender/food processor to do so.
7. Add the dry ingredients into the banana mixture created in the previous step and mix until they are just moistened. It is important not to overdo it with the beating/blending.
8. It is now time to add the pear mix and chopped walnuts to the banana mix. Combine by folding the pears and walnuts into the banana mixture.
9. Scoop ¼ cup of the batter into each of your paper muffin cups or the muffin tray. Once done set to one side.
10. Now for the topping. In a medium small mixing bowl combine the flour, brown sugar, chopped walnuts, cinnamon and cubed butter. Use your hands to combine the butter with the other ingredients until they form a coarse, crumbly mixture.
11. Sprinkle one teaspoon of the topping mixture over the tops of the walnut and pear muffin batter already distributed among the paper muffin cups or in the muffin tray(s). Sprinkle the desiccated coconut over the top of the topping mix.
12. With your oven already preheated to 350 degrees F simply place your muffins into the oven and bake until they have just turned golden brown on top (25 to 30 minutes)
13. Once cooked remove the muffins from the oven and allow them to stand for about 5 minutes. Use a knife to pop the muffins out of the muffin tray. This is where using a combination of nonstick cooking spray and paper muffin cups will pay off. No broken muffins.
14. As you pop the muffins out of the muffin tray place them on a wire cooling rack to cool. With all muffins now on the cooling rack cover it with a slightly damp cloth and let cool.

Serving

These portions will yield 12 scrumptious spicy walnut and pear muffins.

Serve these spicy walnut and pear muffins alongside a beverage such as milk, coffee or tea. Wrapped in plastic cling wrap these spicy walnut and pear muffins are a wonderful surprise to find in one’s lunch box.

Muffins come in a multitude of different shapes, forms, styles and flavors. Still; a muffin or two over a cup of coffee or tea is a delightful experience unto itself which probably explains why so many coffee shops can make a living from a product range consisting of muffins and beverages (coffee, tea, juices, milkshakes etc).

Coffee Shop Muffin Display

These spicy walnut and pear muffins also make a great dessert when combined with a bowl of ice cream, whipped cream and a sprinkling of crushed peppermint chocolate. But most of all enjoy!