Brown butter does something special to a regular pear crisp. It transforms an average, not-so-special dessert into a luxurious, rich treat suitable for guests and dinner parties. The brown butter fills your house with that sweet, warm hint of fat you are ashamed to admit you love - just like Paula Deen always hoped.
Ingredients For topping 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 cup oats 1/2 cup whole almonds with skin 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar** 1/4 tsp salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg 1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled | For filling 1/2 stick unsalted butter 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar 1 tbsp all-purpose flour 3 lb firm-ripe pears*** (about 6), peeled & sliced 1 tbsp vanilla extracts |
Directions
1. Make topping by pulsing together flour, oats, almonds, brown sugar, spices and salt in a food processor until nuts are finely chopped. Add butter and pulse just until blended. Coarsely crumble in a shallow baking pan and chill at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle.
3. In a small heavy saucepan, heat butter and vanilla over medium-low, swirling pan occasionally, until butter is browned and fragrant, about 4 minutes.
4. While butter browns, stir together sugars, flour, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Add pears and toss to combine.
5. Spoon filling into a pie dish and sprinkle with topping, mounding it slightly in the center. Bake for 30 minutes, then rotate and bake until topping is golden brown and filling is bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes more.
-- Cool to warm on a rack.
1. Make topping by pulsing together flour, oats, almonds, brown sugar, spices and salt in a food processor until nuts are finely chopped. Add butter and pulse just until blended. Coarsely crumble in a shallow baking pan and chill at least 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in middle.
3. In a small heavy saucepan, heat butter and vanilla over medium-low, swirling pan occasionally, until butter is browned and fragrant, about 4 minutes.
4. While butter browns, stir together sugars, flour, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Add pears and toss to combine.
5. Spoon filling into a pie dish and sprinkle with topping, mounding it slightly in the center. Bake for 30 minutes, then rotate and bake until topping is golden brown and filling is bubbling, 10 to 15 minutes more.
-- Cool to warm on a rack.
**Readers from Turkey: to make your OWN brown sugar at home, combine 1 cup sugar to 1/8 cup pekmez.
***Pears can easily be replaced by apples, or a mixture of pears and apples can be used.
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen with variations from beloved friend and colleague Dalia Mortada.
***Pears can easily be replaced by apples, or a mixture of pears and apples can be used.
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen with variations from beloved friend and colleague Dalia Mortada.