Not too sweet, these Chocolate Covered Pear Muffins are the ultimate muffin or dessert! Fresh pears and chocolate inside of a muffin and topped with a bit of dark chocolate drizzle.
Ingredients
1/2cupbutter, cut into tablespoons and softened for about 30 minutes, you may also microwave for about 10 seconds
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2cupplain Greek yogurt, or light sour cream
2largeeggs
1 1/2cups+2 tablespoons All Purpose flour
2teaspoons baking powder
1/2teaspoonbaking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
3/4 cupdark chocolate chips, divided
1cup peeled and cored chopped fresh pear, Bartlett preferred
Instructions
Place rack in middle of oven and preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Cream butter and brown sugar together in a large bowl or stand mixer. Scrape down sides of mixer and turn on again until butter and sugar are mixed together. A few small lumps are okay.
Add Greek yogurt (or sour cream) and eggs and beat for about 30 seconds to one minute on medium speed. Turn off mixer.
Add all dry ingredients, including 1/2 (not 1/2 cup!) of the chocolate chips. Mix on low just until the flour disappears using a pulsing, or a quick on and off motion with the mixer.
Fold in chopped pears. Scoop into a well greased muffin tin, fill about 3/4 full. The batter will be very thick, similar to a cookie dough.
Bake for about 12-15 minutes or until muffins are set and tops are golden. Baking time will vary depending on size of muffin tin. Do not over bake!
Remove from oven and let cool completely. You may remove from muffin tin after about 5 minutes and place on cooling rack to speed up cooling process.
When muffins are cooled, place remaining chocolate chips in a sandwich size ziplock bag and seal. Microwave for 20-25 seconds at a time, squishing down the chocolate chips in the bag until melted. This usually takes less than a minute total. When the chips are melted, snip off a small corner of the bag and drizzle chocolate onto muffin tops.
Notes
Do not over mix muffins. Keep the speed of the mixer on low after adding the dry ingredients to the recipe.
You may also use canned pears, drained and chopped for this recipe.
Dipping chocolate or candy melts sold at cake decorating stores may also be used and melted for the topping.
For mini muffins, follow same directions and bake for 7-10 minutes.
If making ahead and freezing, let cool completely and place muffins in a ziplock bag in a single layer. When ready to serve, let thaw and drizzle on chocolate topping.