Summer Holiday Pear,Walnut & Goat’s Cheese Breakfast Buns (Muffins)
Summer Holiday Baking:
Pear,Walnut & Goat’s Cheese Breakfast Buns (Muffins)
I have been jamming, as in making the sweet conserve, and baking……the wet and cold weather brings out the baker and preserver in me……as if I need to feed the soul and lay down stores for the winter. By nine o’clock this morning I had made 2lbs of summer berry jam, with home-grown raspberries, strawberries and some blackcurrants, and then an hour later, these tasty buns, Pear,Walnut & Goat’s Cheese Breakfast Buns (Muffins) were in the oven and delicious aromas were wafting around the kitchen, so much so, that even the cat came down from her lair upstairs to investigate the “goaty” cheese smell! I am a BIG lover of the savoury bun……I know many of you will call these muffins, but muffins to me are the small, round, flat type of yeast-leavened bread buns, which are commonly served split horizontally, toasted, and buttered….and NOT the large cup cake type bakes that most of us know as muffins nowadays…..(There she goes again I hear some of you saying!!) You know the ones, as in The Muffin Man nursery rhyme…..
Muffin man, illustrated in Punch: 24 December 1892
The Muffin Man rhyme is first recorded in a British manuscript of around 1820, preserved in the Bodleian Library with lyrics very similar to those used today:
Do you know the muffin man
the muffin man the muffin man.
Do you know the muffin man,
That lives in Drury Lane?
(Victorian households had many of their fresh foods delivered; muffins would be delivered door-to-door by a muffin man.)
Pear,Walnut & Goat’s Cheese Breakfast Buns (Muffins)
Anyway, rant over, I really don’t mind what you call these little buns/muffins, all I know is that I’m in love again…..with breakfast and with these delectable little goat’s cheese, walnut and pear quick breads.…..and, for those of you who follow my blog, you will know that I have been on a bit of a challenge lately, with Ethel, the Capricorn Goat from Somerset, and she and I are BIG chums now! The challenge was set the day I received a rather large hamper of goodies, with the request that I develop some new recipes using some of the ingredients in the hamper, as well as Capricorn Goat’s Cheese of course! I have submitted a few #CapricornChallenge recipes already…..Piquant Pizza with Goat’s Cheese, Chorizo and Chillies for a Great Midweek Supper; Team Capricorn! Olympic Power Salad with Goat’s Cheese, Fruit and Nuts; Somerset Scramble – Scrambled Eggs with Goat’s Cheese, perfect for Breakfast, Brunch or High Tea and Ethel’s Old Thyme Goat’s Cheese and Tomato Tart. And even my daughter got involved, and made a WONDERFUL Pear, Walnut and Goat’s Cheese Tart with Red Onion Marmalade and Thyme.….a recipe that I will make to post on my blog in the future, but for now, here’s her photo:
Pear, Walnut and Goat’s Cheese Tart with Red Onion Marmalade and Thyme
But back to my breakfast buns……I made a dozen, which is far too many for me, but this is the third batch I’ve made (as I like to triple test my recipes) and I have discovered that they freeze beautifully. Just pop them into a warm oven for about 10 minutes and they are just as if they were freshly baked. I also discovered that they make a GREAT accompaniment to a bowl of soup, and the other day I enjoyed one with some cream cheese and fresh fruit for my breakfast…….very nice! I am also pleased to report, that these Pear,Walnut & Goat’s Cheese Breakfast Buns (Muffins) not only qualify me for the #CapricornChallenge, as I used walnuts, pears and Goat’s cheese in them, but as I baked these with the summer holidays in mind, I can enter them into The Breakfast Club, run by Helen at Fuss Free Flavours, and, for a TRIPLE whammy, as I have used WALNUTS in these wee rascals, that ALSO qualifies me to enter them into Ros and Caroline’s AlphaBakes challenge, as the letter this month is “W”…….
Pear,Walnut & Goat’s Cheese Breakfast Buns (Muffins)
Time to go now…..but do pop back later, when I have more recipes to share, as well as some reviews, a new giveaway, and some EXCITING news……bye for now, Karen
Pear,Walnut & Goat’s Cheese Breakfast Buns (Muffins)
Pear,Walnut & Goat’s Cheese Breakfast Buns (Muffins)
Print recipe
| Serves | 12 |
| Prep time | 5 minutes |
| Cook time | 20 minutes |
| Total time | 25 minutes |
| Allergy | Egg, Milk, Tree Nuts, Wheat |
| Dietary | Vegetarian |
| Meal type | Appetizer, Bread, Breakfast, Lunch, Side Dish, Snack |
| Misc | Child Friendly, Freezable, Serve Cold, Serve Hot |
| Occasion | Barbecue, Birthday Party, Casual Party, Christmas, Easter, Formal Party, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Valentines day |
| Region | British |
| By author | Karen S Burns-Booth |
Ingredients
- 375g SR flour
- 150g chopped walnuts
- 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 100g Capricorn goat's cheese (cut into small cubes)
- 2 large pears (peeled, cored and cut into small chunks)
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 125ml rapeseed oil (or sunflower oil)
- 125ml skimmed milk
Note
Delicious savoury breakfast buns that can be made in the morning and just popped into the oven for 20 minutes. Not only are these great for breakfast or brunch, but they make a great accompaniment to go with soup and stews, or with salads; as well as being a nice change for the lunch box or a picnic.
Directions
| Step 1 | Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. Grease a 12 hole muffin/bun tin or line with paper cases. |
| Step 2 | Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl and add the nuts, pepper, salt and cheese cubs, stir well and then add the pear chunks, eggs, oil and milk. Gently mix together, being careful not to over mix. |
| Step 3 | Spoon the mixture into the prepared muffin/bun tin, then bake for 20 minutes, or until the buns are well risen and golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes. |
| Step 4 | Gently removed the buns from the tin and place on a wire rack, |
| Step 5 | Serve warm or cold, with cream cheese, butter or fresh fruit. |
Pear,Walnut & Goat’s Cheese Breakfast Buns (Muffins)
Heather @girlichef says
AAaagghhhh!!! These look amazing. I want to tear into them. I think I’d have a hard time putting them down. Lovely combination, I am DEFINITELY going to have to try making some myself. I don’t even have to call them by any other name than irresistible. ;P I hope you’ll make it a quadruple-whammy and share them with BYOB this month! http://www.girlichef.com/2012/07/byob-bake-your-own-bread-july-12-some.html
Karen says
LOL! THANKS Heather! I am SO pleased that you like these, and it will be a PLEASURE to add them to your EXCELLENT BYOB challenge, for a QUADRUPLE whammy as you say! I will edit my post and add my link as soon as I am done here! 🙂 Karen
Heather @girlichef says
ha ha ha…awesome! Thanks for adding them to BYOB. And yes, I’ll be thinking about them until I get to try them. They’re such lookers!
Karen says
Thanks Heather, yes, I am all linked up now! Karen
Gill Bland says
Right, that is bookmarked straight away. I LOVE savory muffins and these look amazing.
My Nanna makes the most awesome parsnip and bacon muffins but I think this might take them on….I have high hopes….
Karen says
Thanks Gill! Now, I think I need to KNOW your Nan’s recipe for parsnip and bacon muffins, as I LOVE both ingredients! 🙂 Karen
Homemade by Fleur says
Well you know that I fully approve of pear in muffins and these savoury numbers look divine. Could really see myself enjoying one of these with a bowl of soup like you suggested. Have booked marked to make. 🙂
Karen says
Thanks Fleur! It was JUST a coincidence that you made some with pears too….great minds obviously think alike! 🙂 I think these would be wonderful with soup…or even a nice crisp salad too! 🙂
Katharine from Leeks and Limoni says
Wow Karen, these are right up my street, they look simply amazing and I love this combination – cheese, walnuts and pear work just perfectly together. As I’m a complete cheese fanatic, these would be my perfect accompaniment to a cheese board. And I can’t help thinking of a blue cheese version…
Karen says
Thanks Katharine! I HAVE made these with blue cheese actually and they were fabulous; and I have also used pecans too……the possibilities are endless. I had two of these for lunch last week with a slab, sorry I mean slice (!) of blue cheese and a fresh pear….MY kind of meal! Karen
Katharine from Leeks and Limoni says
And what about mini ones to serve with aperitifs? So many possibilities…
Karen says
GREAT idea, and I have a mini muffin/bun tin too…..so that’s a great idea for next time I have a dinner party!
Javelin Warrior says
Wow, these are gorgeous muffins, Karen! I’ve never had muffins with pear or goat cheese before, but I love how these turned out. And Heather is right, you should definitely link them up to BYOB!
Karen says
Thanks JW! I DO love savoury style muffins, and the pear, cheese and walnuts was a GREAT marriage….very tasty! And thanks, YES I will link them up to Heather’s BYOB! 🙂 Karen
Janice says
I have a great book which has recipes for Muffins, Buffins and Cuffins in it! I think yours are Buffins. I do object to our flat muffins being called ‘English Muffins’. Your buns look really delicious and full of interesting flavours.
Karen says
LOVE it! I have made Buffins! And, like you, I also object to the “real” muffins being called “English Muffins” too…..Thanks Janice!
Jen says
I love the sound of those muffins, that’s another bookmarked page for me. I’ll definitely be trying these at some point as an alternative to sandwiches for my lunch box.
Karen says
Thanks Jen, I think these would make a WONDERFUL alternative to sandwiches in your lunch box, with some fresh fruit and a yoghurt maybe!
Dom says
Wow those muffins look divine. I can taste them now as I lay back in the Spanish sunshine sipping sangria! He he he!!
Karen says
OK, rub it in Dom, you are IN the sun with a SANGRIA! No buns for yo then, as you are having too much of a good time already! 🙂
Denise says
Breakfast Buns how good do they look – no one could stop at one surely!
Karen says
I DID have two for lunch last week with some fresh fruit and a pot of yoghurt!
Mich - Piece of Cake says
These look totally divine, and very healthy too. I love the idea of pears, walnuts and cheese. I am not sure I can find goat cheese though, and wonder if I can substitute with another type of cheese?
Karen says
Thanks Mich ~ I have made a batch of these with blue cheese, and they were DELICIOUS, so I recommend using blue cheese too, a crumbly variety rather than a soft type. Karen
Jacqueline@HowtobeaGourmand says
Karen what a great recipe! Love the combination of goat’s cheese pear and walnut in a muffin. Just delicious! Have you tried it with roquefort or stilton in the muffin? I wonder how that would turn out? Great photos! I’m starving!
Karen says
Thanks Jacqueline! Yes, I have tried it with blue cheese, som Dorset Blue Vinny, I had a large chunk of it after a visit to my sister’s in Dorset, and the blue cheese was as delicious as the goat’s cheese too. I will also try it with Roquefort, as I am in France for the summer and have a large piece of that too! Karen
Laura@howtocookgoodfood says
Savoury muffins are delicious and I love the smell and taste when they are just out of the oven. A lovely way to use Goat”s cheese and I will baking these myself 🙂 xx
Karen says
Thanks Laura! They would make a GREAT breakfast recipe for France, as you can get great goat’s cheese there too! 🙂
Michelle K. says
I love how visible all the goodies are in these muffins. The flavors are great! Thank you for sharing this with BYOB.
Karen says
Thanks Michelle! These have been made TWICE since I posted my recipe, they are VERY popular it seems!
Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours says
Delicious! I usually make sweet muffins, but these are perfect for my holiday breakfast feast!
thanks for sending to Breakfast club!
Karen says
I DO love a good savoury bun! And I have to say that these were pretty lush! Karen
bakingaddict says
Sorry I’m a bit late to the party – hope there’s still some left for me 🙂 These look gorgeous and a lovely entry for AlphaBakes.
Karen says
I KEPT one for you Ros! 🙂 Karen
Choclette says
Oh my goodness Karen, what was I just saying about great minds thinking alike? I hadn’t seen your buns until now AND tomorrow I am posting my #capricornchallenge entry for brunch muffins. Perhaps we could do a swap? Anyway, I’d be very happy to eat your buns for breakfast and then perhaps we could tuck into some of mine for lunch. And that is NOT meant to be rude!
Lisa Williams says
These look amazing great flavour combo Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Fiona Matters says
I like the look of these. Pear and cheese sounds like a great combination – which I don’t think I’ve tried actually! I don’t have much cheese so I’m sure these would be popular.
Maya Russell says
The savoury/sweet muffins just look so nice. They look filling too!
Imbi says
Is there somewhere Pear, Walnut and Goat’s Cheese Tart with Red Onion Marmalade and Thyme recipe? Can’t find it anywhere. It’s looks so delicious!
Karen Burns-Booth says
Ohh, I might not have shared it yet, sorry, I will look, and if not, try to share it soon! Karen
Vivienne Simmons says
Hi Karen,
These muffins are wonderful, and everyone who ate one commented on how unusual and enjoyable they were.
I’m just about to make another batch with apples instead of pears.
For my third batch, I’d like to try the recipe with whole wheat flour, and am wondering if you’ve already tried this and what you thought about it.
Thanks for yet another success.
Karen Burns-Booth says
Thank you so much for your lovely feedback Vivienne – I’m delighted you love this recipe as much a we do.
I have made these with spelt flour and they were delicious
Karen