Muffins for a day like this

Not bad, for a first view-of-the-day. And I díd go out and about quite a bit. But by midday I had seen enough of it. It's cold outside.

When checking Anne's blog I discovered that there's a new flavor in Marabou Chocolate: Vinter! With ginger, cardamom and cloves. The sound of it makes me feel better already.

Alas, no Marabou shops around. But I do have some very nice pears that need a purpose...

Honey Gingerbread-muffins, with lots of juicy pear


2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
1 Tbsp Orange zest, grated or chopped
180 g All-purpose flour
70 g Rye- or whole-wheat flour
1 heaped tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
a pinch of salt
large pinch of each: allspice, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, cardamom
2 eggs
100 g Sugar, I used a combination of brown and white
170 g Honey
1 Tbsp Coffee-granules in 3 Tbsp hot water
1 very large pear, diced, don't bother peeling

Preheat oven to 190 C (375F). Line muffin tins (you will need about 14 cups total) with paper liners and set aside.

Mix the Orangepeel and butter. Heat until the butter starts to sizzle, and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, cream together butter and egg's until light. First add honey and coffee, then the orange-butter and whisk until the batter is smooth. Add in dry ingredients. Only mix until no streaks of flour remain visible. Cerefully fold in the diced pear.

Divide batter evenly into prepared muffin cups, filling each just over 3/4. Bake for 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack.

I ate two of them right from the oven. The second one with a large spoon full of ice cream. The pear just tastes só good, together with the sticky honey and warming spices. I'm in love...