Harvest Pear Crisp

Cooking Lite

(desserts, pears)

Yield: 8 servings

Cinnamon-spiced pears bake under a crunchy streusel topping in this easy pear crisp. Assemble the dessert ahead of time, and put it in the oven when guests arrive. Or bake it earlier in the day and serve it at room temperature. Serve with low-fat vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients

6 C Anjou or Bartlett pears, cored and cut lengthwise
      into 1/2-inch-thick slices (about 3 pounds)
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch or 1¾ tsp arrowroot
1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon, divided
⅓ C all-purpose flour
½ C packed brown sugar
½ tsp salt
3 Tbsp chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup regular oats
¼ C coarsely chopped walnuts or your favorite nuts

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Combine pears and lemon juice in a 2-quart baking dish; toss gently to coat.
3. Combine granulated sugar, cornstarch, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon; stir with a whisk. Add cornstarch mixture to pear mixture; toss well to coat.
Topping:

4. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, brown sugar, and salt in a food processor; pulse 2 times or until combined.
5. Add chilled butter; pulse 6 times or until mixture resembles coarse meal.
6. Add oats and walnuts; pulse 2 times. Sprinkle flour mixture evenly over pear mixture.
7. Bake at 375° for 40 minutes or until pears are tender and topping is golden brown.
8. Cool 20 minutes on a wire rack; serve warm or at room temperature.