Pear and Cranberry Streusel

Don't get me wrong, I love classic pies.  But sometimes you want something different.  Perfect for an unusual winter dessert, this streusel offers the best crunchy brown sugar-oat topping I've ever tasted (and I've had a lot of crunchy brown sugar-oat toppings).  Usually you can still taste the grittiness of pears when they're baked, but the cranberry sauce in this recipe smoothes out the filling's texture.  The pie crust (pâte brisée) is moist but impressively holds its shape.  A definite step forward from supermarket apple pie.

2.25 cups + 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup + 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1.25 teaspoons salt
16 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 pound)
3/4 cup water
6 ounces cranberries (1.5 cups)
1 cinnamon stick
3/4 cup light brown sugar (5.25 ounces)
3/4 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1.5 pounds Bosc pears
1 lemon

In a food processor, combine 1.25 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Dice 8 tablespoons cold butter into large chunks and add to the flour mixture.  The butter must be really cold so that it won't melt while the dough is rolled out.  Then during baking, the butter melts and creates fantastic air pockets that contribute towards flaky pie crust.

Process for 10 seconds, or until the butter is broken down into large crumbs.  The mixture should adhere to itself.

Place a few ice cubes in a measuring cup of water and jiggle around until mostly melted.

Slowly drizzle about 1/4 cup ice water through the processor's feed tube while the machine is running.  Er, but don't actually put your face here.  The dough will splash right into your eye.

Enough water has been added when the dough starts to work itself up the sides of the bowl.

Turn the bowl out onto a piece of saran wrap and squish together into a flat, neat package and refrigerate for an hour.

While the dough is chilling, measure out the cranberries and discard any that are white, brown, or mushy or that don't float.

In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar with the cranberries.  Don't they look like holly berries in snow?!

Add 1/2 cup water and the cinnamon stick and simmer on medium until all the cranberries have burst.

After about 20 minutes, the sauce will be thickened and reduced.  Set it aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar, oats, cinnamon, 1 cup flour, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Rub 8 tablespoons butter into the brown sugar mixture with your fingers to form large chunks.  This mixture tastes amazing baked over any fruit.  Refrigerate while prepping the pears and pastry.

Peel each pear and divide horizontally into two sections (apple-shaped part and funny little stem thing).  Longitudinally halve each section and scoop out the cores with a teaspoon.  Slice into 1/2-inch thick wedges.

Mix together pears, 2 tablespoons flour, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.  Squeeze about a 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice and combine with pears to prevent unsightly oxidation.

Remove the pie dough from the fridge and roll out to a 13-inch diameter.  You want to be able to see the cold butter speckled all over.

Transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie plate, trim to the edge of the plate, and crimp by pushing the dough with your thumb into a space between your index and middle fingers.

Ta-da.

Remove the cinnamon stick from the cooled cranberry sauce and combine the sauce with the pear mixture.  Spoon into the pie shell.

Evenly sprinkle the streusel on top.

Bake at 375 degrees for 1.5 hours until the fruit bubbles and the topping is golden brown.  Place a pan on the rack below the streusel while baking to catch any wandering fruit juices.  Leave to cool for 15 minutes so the cranberry sauce firms a bit, then serve warm.

Printable recipe