Delicious Pear Pie Crumble Bars Recipe - Crazy for Crust (2024)

FAQs

What type of pear is best in a pie? ›

The BEST Pears for Pie

I like to use Anjou (red or green), Bartletts (red or green), or Bosc pears in pie. To avoid a mushy filling, look for pears that are slightly firm. Your best bet is to purchase about 6-7 pears, then let them sit in a paper bag for 1-2 days to slightly ripen.

It's like a dessert bar and an apple crisp had a baby, and that baby was a pear instead of an apple. And that pear was actually a few pears, sliced paper thin and nestled between a soft brown sugar crust and a homemade caramel sauce – with more crumbly crust sprinkled on top.

Poaching is gentle, stove-top cooking, and winter pears are ideal candidates since they keep their shape. Poaching also improves the taste of ho-hum pears. That's especially good news for you do-ahead folks out there; the longer the pears sit in the flavorful syrup after poaching, the better they'll taste.

All-purpose flour (far left) does a fine job, its molecules expanding when heated to absorb excess liquid from fruit fillings. It can taste starchy if not thoroughly cooked and has the highest gelatinization temperature of all starches (212°F), so it's best used in long-baked pies like apple and pear.

Comice. Taste: Buttery, creamy and with subtle perfume overtones, exceptionally sweet. Very juicy. This remarkable pear is considered the 'Pear Lovers Pear.

Piqa boo has a bright red skin and has a mix of asian & european pear characteristics, most similar to a nashi pear yet packed with loads more flavour! its distinctive flesh is crisp and juicy with a slight course texture and refreshing flavour. Great for snacking and in salads.

In biology class we learned that the hard bits, especially in an unripe pear, are called sclereid bundles, or stone cells. We looked at them under the microscope, focusing the lens until the blurred dots turned to thin lines: dead cells with thick walls.

If using pears with a firm skin like Bosc, peel them. Otherwise, leave the skin on. Cut the pears in half lengthwise, leaving the stems on for visual presentation if desired. Use a melon baller or a small spoon to scoop out the cores.

Comice pears were originally cultivated in France. They're known as the sweetest pear variety, and are often the variety shipped in gift boxes. Because of this, they're sometimes given the nickname “the Christmas pear.” Comice pears have light green skin with a blush of pinkish red.

Yes, dogs can eat pears. Pears are a great snack because they're high in copper, vitamins C and K, and fiber. If you're sharing pears with your dog, just be sure to cut the pear flesh into bite-size chunks and remove the pit and seeds first, as the seeds contain traces of cyanide.

What are d'Anjou pears good for? ›

The Anjou is truly an all-purpose pear. They are juicy when ripe, and their subtle sweetness hints at a refreshing lemon-lime flavor. Their dense flesh holds up well in heated applications like baking, poaching, roasting, or grilling and they are delicious when sliced fresh in salads or eaten as an out-of-hand snack.

D'Anjou has a firmer texture than Bartlett and won't change color as it ripens (so you have to check the neck). Once it's ripe and ready, it's hard to beat the juicy, sweet and citrus-like flavor of a d'Anjou.

Bosc pears have a more firm, dense flesh than other pear varieties, so they are ideal for use in baking, broiling or poaching. They retain their shape and texture better than other varieties, and their flavor is less likely to be overwhelmed by the use of strong spices like cinnamon, clove or nutmeg.

Bartlett pears are an early-ripening variety and have the quintessential pear shape, with a curvaceous bottom and short neck. They are very adaptable and delicious when eaten fresh or cooked; we use them in tarts and baked fruit desserts, like a pandowdy.