Recipe: Loaves and Fishes Pear and Walnut Muffins with Spicy Crumb Topping

PEAR AND WALNUT MUFFINS

"Another addition to our Continental Breakfast basket of sweet rolls. We also offer these muffins, warmed, with cream cheese on the side, along with a full breakfast of eggs and bacon. They are mouthwateringly good and take only minutes to make."

2 1/3 cups flour, divided use
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided use
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom, divided use
2 small eggs
3/4 cup milk
12 tablespoon (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted and cooled
1 cup peeled and coarsely chopped ripe pear
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
FOR THE TOPPING:
1/2 cup light brown sugar
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) cold butter, but into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

Place 2 cups of the flour, the baking powder, baking soda, white sugar, salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon cardamom in a mixing bowl and stir to blend.

Add the eggs, milk and melted butter. Stir with a wooden spoon, mixing the ingredients together. Don't overbeat, a few lumps in the batter are fine. Add the chopped pear and the walnuts. Stir to blend. Spoon the mixture into the muffin tin.

TO MAKE THE TOPPING:
In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/3 cup flour, brown sugar, remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, remaining 1/2 teaspoon cardamom and cold butter and mix with your hands until the mixture is crumbly. Scatter the crumbs evenly over the 12 muffins.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note: Theses muffins should not be refrigerated. Store leftovers in tightly wrapped foil or in an airtight container and keep them at room temperature. Or freeze them. When reheating, take them from the freezer and place them, still wrapped, in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 30 minutes.

Makes 12 muffins
Source: Country Weekend Entertaining: Seasonal Recipes from Loaves and Fishes and the Bridgehampton Inn by Anna Pump with Glen LeRoy