Old Fashioned Pear Dessert

I come from a family of good cooks.  My sisters and my children are all very good in the kitchen  My mom , who had to feed eight children and whatever friends we invited to dinner was an excellent cook and baker.
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She couldn't make fudge to save her life, but she could cook and bake!  When my mom made fudge, we would all go get our spoons to eat it with.  I had no idea you were suppose to pick it up and eat it until I was married with a little one.  When we're with mom and we bring these little memories up, she laughs so hard she can't talk and her face gets all red.  I love it when we make her laugh that hard.  I am also blessed to have married into a family of good cooks and bakers.  Paul's daughters and sons are excellent cooks.  I made this dessert when Leighana, one of Paul's daughters and her family were coming for dinner one night.  Leighana is a chef and works for Panera Bread.  This is her favorite dessert.  I love it that she wants me to make it for her.  This recipe comes from the Taste Of Home site and is very easy to put together.   You can change the style in which you make this dessert by simply chopping the pears a little larger to make a dessert or smaller to make bars.  I've done both and it's an excellent recipe anyway you want to do it.  Let's get started making...Old Fashioned Pear Dessert!




Let's start by making the crust for the dessert.  Combine your flour , 3 TBLS sugar and salt in a large bowl, add the cubed butter.



Work this with your pastry blender until you have coarse crumbs. 



In a smaller  bowl, combine your egg yolks and lemon juice, whisk together.



Pour the combined egg yolks and lemon juice over the coarse crumbs and stir it together with a fork.



Reserve one cup of the crumbs for the topping, stir the remaining sugar into the reserved topping and set aside.




Press the remaining crumbs into the bottom and up the sides of an 8 inch square  pan.  The recipe said to use a square pan but I used a round one, I'm such a rebel in the kitchen.



Bake the crust at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.



For the filling, combine the sugar, 2 TBLS of cornstarch, salt and cinnamon in a saucepan, slowly stir in the water and lemon juice until smooth.  Bring this to a boil over medium heat, cook and stir for 1 minute or until it thickens. 



Remove from the heat , stir in the butter and vanilla.





Toss your pears with the remaining cornstarch and spoon into crust.




Top the pears with the filling.



Sprinkle the pears with the reserved topping.  Bake for 35- 40 minutes until filling is bubbly and topping is lightly browned.
This is such a good recipe, if you don't have pears, try it with apples.  Either way it'll be DELICIOUS!!  Enjoy!!





To print the recipe, click here.



Old Fashioned Pear Dessert
Taste Of Home

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
5 TBLS sugar, divided
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup cold butter, cubed
3 egg yolks
4 1/2 tsps lemon juice

Filling :
1/2 cup sugar
4 TBLS cornstarch , divided
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 cup water
2 TBLS plus one and1/2 tsps lemon juice
2 TBLS butter
1 tsp vanilla
5 cups chopped pears

Directions:
In large bowl combine the flour, 3 TBLS sugar and salt; cut in butter until crumbly.  In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks and lemon juice; stir into dry ingredients with a fork.  Remove 1 cup to another bowl; stir in the remaining sugar and set aside for the topping.

Press remaining crumb mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased 8 inch baking dish.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

Meanwhile, for filling, combine the sugar, 2 TBLS cornstarch, salt and cinnamon in a small saucepan, slowly stir in water and lemon juice until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat, cook, and stir for 1 minute or until thickened.  Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla.

Toss pears with remaining cornstarch, spoon over crust.  Top with filling, sprinkle with reserved topping.  Bake for 35-40 minutes or until filling is bubbly and topping is lightly browned.  Cool on wire rack.