An Anonymous Baker in New Zealand Gifts a Recipe that Keeps on Giving

Chocolate, Pear & Cinnamon Muffin Recipe, A Baking Confession

Moist muffins don't have to be a thing of legend. In my world, every bite of a muffin has to have something noteworthy: a piece of fruit, a nut, or a bite of chocolate. The cake must set the stage to let the players shine. The size fits in the palm of your hand with a gentle sweetness.

In 2003, I created and delivered organic desserts, muffins, scones, and granola for cafes in San Francisco. Even though I had been playing around with muffin recipes, I had never quite hit on the perfect flavorful, moist, less sweet muffin base that highlighted the fruit with a pillowy texture until a visit that year to the South Island of New Zealand.

An enduring hobby of mine has been bakery hopping and, even more so, cafes that make tempting baked goods. My friend and I unexpectedly stumbled upon such a place in Christchurch, a stone's throw from the Cathedral. A Pear Chocolate Cinnamon Muffin covered with a dark chocolate frosting sat atop the service counter at our lunch spot. It was the texture that had eluded me. The generous baker gave me the recipe on a hand-written piece of paper, which became the base for the muffin recipe I used to create more than a hundred versions since then.

Upon my return to San Francisco, I experimented with the base recipe. I switched out the flavors for seasonal fruit from the Ferry Building Farmers Market—apples, walnuts, plums, and persimmons. There was no limit to making muffins anymore. I wrapped my muffins in a tea cloth inside a woven basket with a sturdy handle and took them to Peet's Coffee and Tea in Pacific Heights to share with the regulars. My basket and I made quite a few friends that way.

This Pear Chocolate Cinnamon muffin retains the balance of the original recipe using ingredients from the regenerative pantry. What is the regenerative pantry? It is a set of staple ingredients that highlight the power of food grown in a way that honors us and the planet and ensures the health of our soil for future generations.

Baking with tools that reduce reliance on plastic is also part of the regenerative equation. Next time you are in the market for bakeware, try a silicone muffin tray, aluminum-rimmed baking sheet (without the nonstick coating), and glass, ceramic, or stainless steel bowls for mixing. Mine have lasted over two decades and are still baking to my family's applause.

Baking Tools for Muffin Recipes

• Silicone muffin tray with six or twelve rounds

• Sheet pan to set the muffin tray onto

• Measuring cups and spoons

• Whisk

• Silicone spatula

• Glass measuring cup

• Medium mixing bowl - ceramic, glass, or stainless steel; if you have ones with a spout, even better

• Wire cooling rack

Here are some links to some of the ingredients.

All Purpose Einkorn Flour, Jovial Foods

Super Fine Almond Flour, Bob's Red Mill

Pasture Raised Eggs, Vital Farms