Chocolate and Pear Muffins

Chocolate and pear muffins are a delicious combination. Here’s how to prepare this treat:

Ingredients

• 2 ripe but firm pears
• 200 g of 00 flour
• 150 g sugar
• 50 g unsweetened cocoa powder
• 100 g butter
• 2 eggs
• 100 ml milk
• 1 packet baking powder
• 1 pinch of salt
• Chocolate shavings or chocolate chips to taste

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F).
2. In a large bowl, sift the flour with the cocoa, baking powder, and salt.
3. In another bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar until you obtain a frothy and pale mixture.
4. Melt the butter and let it cool slightly, then add it to the egg and sugar mixture.
5. Gradually incorporate the flour mixture into the liquid mixture, alternating with the milk, until you obtain a smooth batter.
6. Peel the pears, remove the core, and cut them into small cubes.
7. Add the pear cubes and chocolate shavings/chips to the batter, stirring gently to distribute them evenly.
8. Fill the muffin liners about 3/4 of the way with the batter.
9. Bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
10. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack.

Fun Facts

Muffins are sweet treats of Anglo-Saxon origin that have spread throughout the world. They are typically American in their version with chemical leavening and softer and spongier than the original version. The chocolate and pear pairing is a classic of Italian pastry: sweet and soft pear marries magnificently with the intense and slightly bitter flavor of cocoa.