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Pear, saffron and browned butter muffins

Name: Pear, saffron and browned butter muffins
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: butter 50g, plus extra for buttering if not using cases; saffron a pinch; buttermilk or milk 185ml; flavourless oil 140ml; egg 1; self-raising flour 300g; baking powder 1/4 tsp; golden caster sugar 150g; pears 2 small, peeled cored, cut into small cubes and drained on kitchen paper

50 minutes
makes 12
Easy

Make our moreish pear muffins with saffron and browned butter for a tasty breakfast or afternoon snack. These work perfectly well without the saffron if you don't have any – you could add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg instead, if you like

Published: November 17, 2016 at 5:15 pm

Make these easy pear muffins for a tasty snack, then check out our classic breakfast muffins and banana muffins. We’ve also got plenty more delicious muffin recipes to try.

TIP: If muffins with muffin tops are what you are after, don’t use paper cases, just butter the muffin holes.

Ingredients

butter 50g, plus extra for buttering if not using cases
saffron a pinch
buttermilk or milk 185ml
flavourless oil 140ml
egg 1
self-raising flour 300g
baking powder 1/4 tsp
golden caster sugar 150g
pears 2 small, 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.