Starting out as a crumble and
taking a detour to the realm of pies... Pears and cranberries are always good to pair and the addition of orange
rinds adds yet another layer for the senses. Serve it with velvety vanilla ice
cream or top it with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream… Not too sweet, not too tart,
just right.
CRANBERRY PEAR CRUMBLE BARS
Base and Crumble:
1/2 cup sugar
1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, soft
1 egg, beaten
Filling:
2 cups peeled, cored and thinly sliced pears
sprinkle of Fruitfresh or the juice of half a lemon
2 Tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of ground ginger
rind of one orange, finely grated
1/4 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, slightly thawed
2 Tbsp butter
- Peel, core and thinly slice the pears. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 375F.
- Fully line a small square baking pan with parchment paper leaving overhangs for easy removal.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together sugar, flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add the butter and rub into the flour mixture until it resembles a coarse meal.
- Mix in the beaten egg until dough forms.
- Press 2/3 of dough into the prepared pan. Reserve the rest for the top.
- Sprinkle the pears with Fruitfresh or the juice of half a lemon.
- Add sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and grated orange rinds to the sliced pears.
- Toss to coat.
- Mix in the cranberries.
- Pour the fruit mixture over the crust.
- Spread it out evenly.
- Dot with the butter, as if you were making a pie.
- Finally crumble the remaining dough on the top.
- Bake for 40 minutes until top is golden.
- Let the bar cool.
- Grasp both parchment overhangs and move the bar to a cutting board.
- Cut into squares and serve.
