Vanilla Poached Pear Muffins

Serves 6-12

Time 1 hour (+ cooling time)

Ingredients

Poached Pears

2 large ripe pears, peeled

500ml red wine

½ cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Muffins

250g self raising flour

220g sugar

2 tbsp cocoa

Pinch salt

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

250ml milk

Butter or cooking spray for greasing

Method

To poach pears, combine red wine, sugar and cinnamon in a saucepan and simmer until the sugar has dissolved. Add the pears and bring up the boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes until pears are tender. Let cool. Remove pears from the poaching liquid, cut into a dice, and set aside.

Preheat oven to 180°C and grease 12-hole large muffin tin.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa and a pinch of salt. In a smaller bowl, beat eggs, vanilla and milk until combined, then pour into the dry ingredients. Stir together until there are no lumps, then stir through the diced pear.
Spoon the batter into the 12-hole muffin tin and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.

Cool in tray for 5 minutes before turning out, then leave to cool on a wire rack.