*If you substitute Splenda for the 1/3 cup sugar, 1/4 cup Egg Beaters for the egg and use fat free sour cream...the points value is reduced to 2 pts! Colette



POINTS® Value |  3
Servings | 12
Preparation Time | 18 min
Cooking Time | 35 min
Level of Difficulty | Easy

Muffin week highlights naturally sweet pears in this breakfast muffin. The slightly-spiced ginger glaze provides a wonderful flavor complement.

2 sprays cooking spray
2 large pear(s), ripe, Bosc, with skin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup sugar, granulated
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup sour cream
1 large egg(s), beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup fat-free skim milk
2 cup all-purpose flour, unbleached
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
3 tsp water, warm, or more if necessary

Instructions


1. Preheat oven to 375ºF and coat a 12-hole muffin tin with cooking spray or muffin liners.
2. Core and chop pears into tiny cubes; place in a large bowl. Add cinnamon, granulated sugar and lemon juice to pears; set aside.
3. In a small bowl, whip together sour cream, egg, 1 teaspoon of vanilla and milk; set aside.
4. In a large bowl, sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
5. Make a well with a spoon in center of flour mixture and pour in sour cream mixture and fruit mixture, alternating in small batches; mix until barely blended. Do not over beat. (NOTE: Batter will be very thick.)
6. Drop batter by heaping tablespoons into muffin holes until about 2/3 to 3/4 full; bake until top is golden, about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes in muffin tin; remove from tins to racks and cool completely. (Or leave slightly warm to dip into glaze for easier preparation.)
7. While muffins are cooling, make glaze: Mix powdered sugar, ginger, 1/4 teaspoon of vanilla and warm water together in a small bowl (add another teaspoon of water if glaze is too thick) . Spread a thin layer of glaze over each muffin. Yields 1 muffin per serving.

Notes

You can swap apples for the pears if desired.


-- Edited by Colette at 16:10, 2006-03-12

-- Edited by Colette at 13:22, 2006-03-14