Move over apples, it’s also time for pears. Brown Butter Pear Crisp is a real treat and there is one just out of my oven! The aroma of the spices and pears are making the house smell wonderful. You really need to make this as soon as you can. I love the creamy texture of the pears in contrast to the crisp.
The crisp part of this recipe has browned butter and it adds to the flavor, sending it right over the top. So good, I ate a huge helping, I just couldn’t get enough. It’s a good thing I was out of ice cream….I would have had that on it too!
This pan of crisp didn’t last long, I loved it for breakfast! The truth is, I couldn’t stay out of it.
Here are a couple of things I thought of as I was making this, that I’d like to share. When a recipe calls for “working in cold butter”, I hold a grater over the bowl and grate my cold butter. I have about six different microplane type graters that make the job super easy, but use whatever you have. Then use your fingers to toss the topping and distribute the butter.
If you keep fresh nutmeg on hand, this is the time to use it. I stopped buying ground nutmeg years ago, now I just reach for the whole one and quickly grate it. It’s very easy and you can smell and taste the difference. Pears and nutmeg belong together!
Have your topping made before you peel and cut up your pears. Pears will turn brown very quick. I like to peel each one and cut it into a bowl adding a squeeze of lemon juice and toss, just enough to coat with the lemon juice. This way I keep my pears their natural color with no brown.
Pinterest Photo’s ~ the perfect size for boards
Browned Butter Pear Crisp
Ingredients:
Filling:
6 Cups pears, peeled cored and chopped
1 Tbsp lemon juice
3/4 Cup sugar
2-3 Tbsp flour (use more if pears are juicy)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
Topping:
1/2 Cup butter, plus 2 Tbsp cold butter
1 Cup oatmeal (old fashioned or quick)
1 Cup unbleached flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 Cup brown sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350° Grease a 7″ X 11″ baking dish.
In a small saucepan, melt 1/2 cup of butter over medium-low heat and continue to cook, swirling occasionally, until butter turns golden brown. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl. Let cool.
In a large mixing bowl, combine pears and lemon juice, gently toss together.
In a medium bowl, mix together sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Sprinkle over pears and stir to combine. Pour the pear mixture into prepared dish and set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the oats, flour, salt cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar. Pour the browned butter over the mixture and stir well. Add the remaining cold butter and mix until crumbly. Pour mixture over the pears.
Bake 40-45 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the crisp is bubbling around the edges.
Serve warm.
Note: Use pears that are ripe but not over ripe, they should still be firm with no brown spots. I use Bartlet pears when I make this.
Adapted from: http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/brown-butter-pear-crisp/
Baking Blond 