Lighter Pear Crumble

By using maple syrup and brown sugar as sweeteners as well as whole wheat pastry flour, oats and almonds in the topping, this recipe succeeds as a lighter version of this classic comfort food dessert. We indulged a little and ate it with vanilla ice cream, of course. 😉 Without the ice cream, this dish could actually be served for breakfast.

This recipe was adapted from The Washington Post, contributed by nutritionist and cookbook author Ellie Krieger. Lovely.

Yield: 8 servings

For the Topping:

• 1/4 cup canola oil or other neutral-tasting oil
• 1/2 cup plus 1 T almond meal or slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour (whole wheat flour may be substituted)
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp coarse salt

For the Filling:

• 3 pounds ripe but firm pears, peeled, cored, cut into 1/4-inch slices (I used 6 Bartlett pears)
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• freshly squeezed juice from 1/2 of a lemon
• 1 T cornstarch
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground ginger

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, preferably on convection.
2. Spray a 10×9-inch (can also use an 8×8-inch or 9×9-inch) baking dish with cooking oil spray, or brush lightly with oil.

To Make the Topping:

1. If using slivered almonds, process them in a food processor until finely ground; alternatively use almond meal. Transfer to a medium bowl.
2. Add the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt to the ground almonds.
3. Drizzle the mixture with 1/4 canola oil; stir until well incorporated. Set aside.

To Make the Filling & Finish the Dish:

1. Combine the pears, maple syrup and lemon juice in a large bowl.
2. Sprinkle the fruit mixture with the cornstarch, cinnamon and ginger; stir until the pears are evenly coated.
3. Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
4. Crumble the topping over the pears.
5. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until bubbling and the topping is lightly browned.
6. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with ice cream, if desired.

About Josette@thebrookcook

I live in Stony Brook, New York on Long Island. I love garlic and baking. My hobby (and love) is to try new recipes. My favorite recipe resources include The New York Times, Food and Wine, Bon Appetit, and Martha Stewart Living. Enjoy!

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