Blueberry Pear Crisp
A little rustic, a little gourmet, and always delicious served with dollops of whipped or vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 4 medium pears cored and chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 Tablespoon water
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons tapioca pearls
- 2 cups fresh blueberries
For the Topping:
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup old-fashioned oats
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 5 Tablespoons butter very cold
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Combine the chopped pears, maple syrup, water, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, and vanilla extract in a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Bring the liquid to a simmer and let it bubble for 5-7 minutes, until the pears begin to soften and the liquid is reduced a bit.4 medium pears, 1/3 cup maple syrup, 1 Tablespoon water, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon cardamom, 1 and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- While the pears simmer, use a large prep bowl to combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and kosher salt for the topping. Whisk together, then grate in the cold butter. (You can also cut the butter into small pieces and add it that way.)1/3 cup all purpose flour, 1/3 cup old-fashioned oats, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 5 Tablespoons butter
- Stir with a fork into a crumbly topping; if needed, press the mixture together lightly with your fingers to make little crumbles.
- After removing pears from the heat, stir in tapioca and blueberries. Sprinkle the topping in an even layer on top; don’t worry if the fruit peeks through in spots.2 Tablespoons tapioca pearls, 2 cups fresh blueberries
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped topping. Enjoy!
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Notes
- Type of Pears: Bartlett pears or any other standard variety work well.
- Unpeeled Pears: We prefer this recipe with unpeeled pears! This gives the crisp more substance and keeps the fruit together in bite-sized pieces even when it is extremely tender. Incorporating the pear skin also keeps more of the fruit's fiber and natural nutrients and saves a considerable amount of prep time. If you can't stand the thought of eating the skin, by all means peel them, but I don't find it necessary at all.
- Blueberries: For best results, start with plump, fresh blueberries. Frozen will emit too much water as they bake.
- Tapioca: This is the key to keeping the fruit filling nice and thick. I buy them at Whole Foods or online.
- To Make Ahead: Fully prepare and bake the crisp, then cover tightly with a lid or aluminum foil and store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Warm in a 300°F oven for roughly 10 minutes prior to serving.
- To Prep Ahead: To just get a little bit ahead, you can simmer the pears and let rest at room temperature for a few hours. You also can prepare the crisp topping separately; store that in the refrigerator so the butter stays cold.
- To Store: Leftovers can keep in the refrigerator, covered, for at least 2-3 days.