Pear, saffron and browned butter muffins
- Preparation and cooking time
- Total time
- Easy
- Makes 12
Ingredients
- 50g butter, plus extra for buttering if not using cases
- a pinch saffron
- 185ml buttermilk or milk
- 140ml flavourless oil
- 1 egg
- 300g self-raising flour
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 150g golden caster sugar
- 2 small pears, peeled cored, cut into small cubes and drained on kitchen paper
Method
- STEP 1
Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Line 12 holes of a large-hole muffin tin with large paper cases or butter them. Add the saffron to the buttermilk. Heat the butter in a small pan until it melts, then keep cooking until the butter starts to turn a golden brown and starts to smell toasty.
- STEP 2
Mix it with the oil, buttermilk and egg.
- STEP 3
Sift the flour, baking powder and sugar together. Toss the pear pieces in this mix and lift them out again.
- STEP 4
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients, add the liquid ones and fold together quickly. Fold in the pears.
- STEP 5
The mixture will be quite soft but will start to thicken as the raising agents activate. Divide between the muffin cases or holes – they should be quite full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until they are risen and golden on top. They will have a slightly cracked appearance, this is fine.
