Asian Pear Crisp Recipe

Name: Asian Pear Crisp
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 6 Asian pears (or Anjou, Bosc, or Comice pears); 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar; 3/4 cup brown sugar (divided); 1/4 teaspoon garam masala; 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom; 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger; 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves; 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1/2 cup flour; 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour; 6 tablespoons butter (cut into small pieces)

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 40 mins

Total: 60 mins

Servings: 6 to 8 servings

Yield: 1 crisp

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Asian pears are crisp and perfectly juicy when eaten raw. They cook up nicely, too, as in this Asian pear crisp. Any pear will work in this recipe—Anjou pears and Bosc pears are particularly good for baking. A bit of garam masala and warm cardamom gives this crisp a little spicy kick, but feel free to leave it out and use cinnamon in their place if you (or your spice rack) is so inclined. Similarly, the whole wheat pastry flour adds a hearty, nutty note, but an equal amount of all-purpose flour or rolled oats work just as well.

Like all fruit crisps, this one is delicious with ice cream or whipped cream on top or alongside.

“Garam masala, cardamom, and ginger are seasonings not normally found in a pear crisp. That said, they work beautifully with the fruit and result in a crisp with a warm, deep, and delicious flavor. Since Asian pears are so juicy, there may be more liquid in the bottom of the dish than a typical crisp.” —Joan Velush

6 medium Asian pears, Anjou, Bosc, or Comice pears
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup brown sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
6 tablespoons (3-ounces) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Gather the ingredients.

The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 375 F. Peel, quarter, core, and coarsely chop the pears.

The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg
Put pears in a large bowl and toss with the vinegar. Add 1/4 cup brown sugar, garam masala, cardamom, ginger, cloves, and salt and toss to combine.

The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg
Dump pears into a 2-quart baking dish and set aside.

The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg
In a medium bowl, combine flours, and remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar. Add butter, cutting or working it into the flour mixture with your fingers or a pastry cutter, or fork. Note that you can pulse this mixture a few times in a food processor to great effect.

The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg
Spread flour mixture over pear mixture.

The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg
Bake until the center fruit mixture is bubbling and the top is browned and yummy looking, about 40 minutes. Let sit at least 10 minutes before serving. Serve warm.

The Spruce / Eric Kleinberg

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
234	Calories
9g	Fat
37g	Carbs
3g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories	234
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g	12%
Saturated Fat 6g	28%
Cholesterol 23mg	8%
Sodium 106mg	5%
Total Carbohydrate 37g	13%
Dietary Fiber 2g	9%
Total Sugars 19g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 1mg	5%
Calcium 26mg	2%
Iron 1mg	6%
Potassium 116mg	2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.