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Triple-Ginger Pear Crisp

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on August 22, 2007

Time

1½ hours

Yield

Serves 6

Triple-Ginger Pear Crisp

Ingredients

¾ cup almonds (3 ounces/85 grams)½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour (2 ½ ounces/71 grams)¼ cup packed light brown sugar (1 ¾ ounces/50 grams)4 tablespoons granulated sugar ¾ teaspoon ground ginger 2 tablespoons chopped crystalized ginger Table salt 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled1 teaspoon cornstarch 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon3 pounds (1361 grams) ripe but firm pears (6-7 medium), see note above

Before You Begin

The test kitchen prefers a crisp made with Bartlett pears, but Bosc pears can also be used. The pears should be ripe but firm, which means the flesh at the base of the stem should give slightly when gently pressed with a finger. Bartlett pears will turn from green to greenish-yellow when ripe. Serve the crisp with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Process almonds, flour, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, ground ginger, crystallized ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in food processor until nuts are finely chopped, about nine 1-second pulses. Drizzle butter over flour mixture and pulse until mixture resembles crumbly wet sand, about five 1-second pulses, pausing halfway through to scrape down sides and bottom of workbowl. Set aside while preparing fruit.
  2. Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, cornstarch, fresh ginger, lemon juice, and pinch of salt together in large bowl. Peel pears, then halve and core each (see illustrations below). Cut each half into 4 wedges and then cut in half crosswise (pieces should be about 1 1/2 inches). Gently toss pears with sugar mixture and transfer to 8-inch-square baking dish.
  3. Sprinkle topping evenly over fruit, breaking up any large chunks. Bake until fruit is bubbling around edges and topping is deep golden brown, 27 to 32 minutes. Cool on wire rack until warm, at least 15 minutes, and serve.
Triple-Ginger Pear Crisp

Triple-Ginger Pear Crisp

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

1½ hours

Yield

Serves 6

Ingredients

¾ cup almonds (3 ounces/85 grams)
½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour (2 ½ ounces/71 grams)
¼ cup packed light brown sugar (1 ¾ ounces/50 grams)
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons chopped crystalized ginger
Table salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
3 pounds (1361 grams) ripe but firm pears (6-7 medium), see note above

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

¾ cup almonds (3 ounces/85 grams)
½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour (2 ½ ounces/71 grams)
¼ cup packed light brown sugar (1 ¾ ounces/50 grams)
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons chopped crystalized ginger
Table salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
3 pounds (1361 grams) ripe but firm pears (6-7 medium), see note above

Test Kitchen Techniques

Ingredients

¾ cup almonds (3 ounces/85 grams)
½ cup unbleached all-purpose flour (2 ½ ounces/71 grams)
¼ cup packed light brown sugar (1 ¾ ounces/50 grams)
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon ground ginger
2 tablespoons chopped crystalized ginger
Table salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
3 pounds (1361 grams) ripe but firm pears (6-7 medium), see note above

Test Kitchen Techniques

Why This Recipe Works

Taking into account how differently pears react with apples when baked into a crisp, we chose firm Bartletts for our pear crisp recipe and avoided a watery outcome by tossing them with cornstarch and lemon juice. We needed a sturdier topping for our pear crisp recipe, so we chose a streusel, made by incorporating melted butter into the flour, which kept its crunchiness during baking.

Before You Begin

The test kitchen prefers a crisp made with Bartlett pears, but Bosc pears can also be used. The pears should be ripe but firm, which means the flesh at the base of the stem should give slightly when gently pressed with a finger. Bartlett pears will turn from green to greenish-yellow when ripe. Serve the crisp with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Instructions

  1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Process almonds, flour, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, ground ginger, crystallized ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in food processor until nuts are finely chopped, about nine 1-second pulses. Drizzle butter over flour mixture and pulse until mixture resembles crumbly wet sand, about five 1-second pulses, pausing halfway through to scrape down sides and bottom of workbowl. Set aside while preparing fruit.
  2. Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, cornstarch, fresh ginger, lemon juice, and pinch of salt together in large bowl. Peel pears, then halve and core each (see illustrations below). Cut each half into 4 wedges and then cut in half crosswise (pieces should be about 1 1/2 inches). Gently toss pears with sugar mixture and transfer to 8-inch-square baking dish.
  3. Sprinkle topping evenly over fruit, breaking up any large chunks. Bake until fruit is bubbling around edges and topping is deep golden brown, 27 to 32 minutes. Cool on wire rack until warm, at least 15 minutes, and serve.

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