Comforting Pear Crumble Dessert (Print version)

Juicy pears beneath a thick, buttery oat crumble topping. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream for pure comfort.

# What You Need:

→ Pear Filling

01 - 6 ripe pears, peeled, cored, and sliced
02 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
03 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
05 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

→ Crumble Topping

07 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
08 - 1/2 cup rolled oats
09 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
11 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
12 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed

# How to Make:

01 - Set oven to 375°F and allow to preheat thoroughly.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, toss sliced pears with lemon juice, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and flour until evenly coated. Transfer mixture to a greased 9-inch baking dish and spread evenly.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, rolled oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add cold, cubed butter and rub between fingertips or use a pastry cutter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger chunks remaining.
04 - Sprinkle crumble topping evenly over the pear filling, gently pressing down to create a thick, crunchy layer without compacting excessively.
05 - Bake for 35 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the pear filling is bubbling around the edges.
06 - Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Serve warm, optionally garnished with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • It turns simple pears into something golden and irresistible without any fuss.
  • The crumble topping gets so crunchy and buttery, it's almost better than the fruit.
  • You can throw it together in minutes and let the oven do all the work.
  • It makes your kitchen smell like a bakery without the effort of pie crust.
02 -
  • Cold butter is absolutely essential for a crumbly topping, if it melts before baking, you'll end up with a flat, greasy layer instead of clusters.
  • Don't skip the flour in the filling or you'll have a puddle of pear juice instead of a lightly thickened sauce.
  • Press the crumble down gently but don't pack it tight, you want air pockets that crisp up in the oven.
03 -
  • Freeze the butter for 10 minutes before cubing it if your kitchen is warm, it makes the crumble topping even better.
  • A pinch of nutmeg in the filling adds a subtle warmth that surprises people in the best way.
  • If the topping browns too quickly, tent the dish loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.
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