1 cup finely chopped ripe pear (fresh or canned, peeled if fresh)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 cups unbleached flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1/3 to ½ cup sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/3 cup very finely minced crystallized ginger
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1 to 3 teaspoons fresh ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Preheat oven to 375ºF. Lightly spray 8 standard muffin cups with nonstick spray.
Place the chopped pear in a shallow dish, drizzle with lemon juice, and set aside.
Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, sugar, and lemon zest in a medium sized bowl. Stir in the minced crystallized ginger, Ideally, each bit of ginger should end up about the size of a rolled oat flake.
Measure the 1 cup buttermilk into a 2-cup liquid measure. Add the egg, fresh ginger, and vanilla, and beat gently with a fork or a small whisk until smooth.
Slowly pour this mixture, along with the melted butter, into the dry ingredients. Add the pear as well. Using a spoon or rubber spatula, stir from the bottom of the bowl until the dry ingredients are all moistened. Don't overmix; a few lumps are okay.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until lightly browned on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the pan from the oven, then remove the muffins from the pan and place them on a rack to cool. Wait at least 30 minutes before serving.
