Gingerbread Pear Muffins

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup mild-flavored molasses
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar (or 2 tbsp splenda brown)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup boiling water
• 2 small pears, cut in 6 wedges each
• 3 ounces dark chocolate, broken in small pieces
• raw sugar (optional)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 350°f
• 2 lightly coat twelve 2-1/2-inch muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray and flour.
• 3 in large bowl combine flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
• 4 in a second bowl whisk together molasses, butter, brown sugar, and egg. pour into flour mixture.
• 5 stir until combined. whisk in boiling water.
• 6 divide evenly among muffin cups.
• 7 add 1 pear wedge to each muffin, press lightly (don't bury it but leave most of it to dry some during baking).
• 8 bake 15 to 18 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
• 9 sprinkle with raw sugar.
• 10 add chocolate piece to top of muffins.
• 11 cool in pan on rack 10 minutes (don't try to remove sooner).
• 12 use table knife to smooth melted chocolate.
• 13 remove from cups.
• 14 cool completely on wire rack. makes 12.