“There are only ten minutes in the life of a pear when it is perfect to eat.”–Ralph Waldo Emmerson
The seasons of Pears 🍐
Pears are in-season locally. For those who grow these fruit trees, this is a once a year celebration of those sweet, juicy fruits. Ironically, for all their sweetness, pears are one fruit that do not, and should not, fully ripen on the tree. In fact, pears need to be harvested when mature, but not ripe. If left on the tree too long, pears become mealy.
Across the United States, pears come into season anywhere from August to October, depending upon what part of the country they are grown. Most pears–about 95%–found in the stores, are grown in California, Washington, and Oregon according to Food Network. That said, it’s not too late to find home grown pears at local farmers markets and roadside stands.
How to to Know when Pears are ripe 🍐
When buying pears, keep in mind that they do take a while to ripen enough for eating. In order to determine if a pear is ripe enough to eat, gently press on the neck of a pear with your thumb. If your thumb gives, the fruit is ripe, if the fruit doesn’t yield, it needs more time to ripen. However, it is worth noting that slightly under-ripe pears can still be used for baking and recipes that require some form of cooking. The heat allows the fruits’ sweet juices to release into your favorite recipes.
I am fortunate enough to have a neighbor, Sandra Patterson, who is generous when her pear trees bear their fruit. For the past several years, she has offered to share her harvested fruit with those around her, and they are always a tasty, seasonal delight. Unfortunately, pears are so versatile, I have a hard time choosing how I want to prepare them. From salads to main dishes, from sweet breads to delightful sauces, and from luscious desserts to slicing them up and eating them fresh, pears lend themselves to a wide array of recipes.
Pears are versatile ✨
In the past, I have made pear butter, which is similar to apple butter. I have made quinoa pear salad and microwavable “baked” pears. I have sliced them up and added them to garden salads with dried cranberries and walnuts, or put them on toast with peanut butter, raisins, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. While I don’t eat meat, I know that one of my coworkers adds freshly sliced pears to the pan when baking pork loin. And these ideas are only the tip of the recipe-iceberg for fresh pears.
This year, however, I decided to go with one of my favorite simple treats: pear crisp. I love any kind of bakeable fruit with a hearty, crunchy oat topping, and the ease of these types of “crumble” desserts is one I especially appreciate. Additionally, for those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance, fruit crisps, when made with gluten-free ingredients, such as oats and oat flour, make a delightful replacement for gluten-laden fruit pies.
Pear Crisp Anyone? 🙌
I chose to use maple syrup in this recipe instead of the traditional brown sugar because it offers a comforting fall scent and flavor. When baking with maple syrup, it lends a caramel-like taste to baked goods that I believe “pears” well with traditional fall spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice—all of which are found in the apple-pie spice that I incorporated into this recipe.
That said, you can replace the maple syrup with brown sugar as noted in the recipe. And, you can also replace the apple pie spice with cinnamon, if preferred. Other recipe modifications could include replacing the pears with an equivalent amount of apples or using half apples/half pears. Furthermore, if you like raisins or dried cranberries, sprinkle ¼ to ½ cup of those over the fruit before adding the topping.
Regardless of how you adapt this recipe to suit your taste preferences, it is my hope that it inspires you to bake up some “pear-fect” homemade goodness in your home for a fall treat. As it bakes, your house will overflow with fragrant autumnal scents sure to make your belly growl. Brew some tea or coffee and soften up your favorite ice cream variation to serve up along with this dessert, and enjoy!
From my home to yours, I wish health, happiness, and homemade eats!
Easy Pear Crisp Recipe 🧑🍳
Easy Pear Crisp, Gluten-free and plant based
(Thank you, Sandra, for the “pear-amount” inspiration for this recipe.)
Ingredients
6-7 ripe pears
1 teaspoon apple pie spice (Can substitute with cinnamon)
¾ cup rolled oats
¾ cup oat-flour flour (Can substitute all-purpose flour.)
½ cup chopped walnuts and/or pecans, optional
1 teaspoons of cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
⅔ cup pure maple syrup (Can substitute 1 cup brown sugar)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup cold butter, cut into pieces (I use vegan variation.)
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Coat square baking dish with cooking spray (Mine was 9 x 9)
Core and deseed pears, then slice or chop fruit, depending upon preference (I left peel on, but you can peel pears)
Place fruit in prepared baking dish
Sprinkle with apple pie spice
In a large bowl, mix together oats, flour, cinnamon, nuts (if using), baking powder, and salt.
Cut in maple syrup, vanilla extract, and butter pieces using a pastry blender, forks, or large, firm spoon. (Mixture will be thick and slightly crumbly if using syrup; it will be mostly crumbly if using brown sugar.)
Sprinkle oat mixture over fruit
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Serve warm. It makes 6-9 servings. Leftovers can be stored in covered containers in the refrigerator for up to a week. It can also be frozen for up to three months.
Steph Simply 