Pears are the quiet star of November baking. They turn soft and sweet in the oven, and they take on spice better than almost any other fruit. Here they are tossed with cardamom, ginger and cinnamon, then baked under a thick oat and almond topping that is pressed into big clusters before it goes in the oven. The clusters stay crisp and chunky instead of turning sandy, and the pear juices bubble up at the edges as it bakes. Serve it warm, straight from the dish, with cream or vanilla ice cream. It is a simple dessert, but the cardamom makes it taste like something special.
Ingredients
- 800 g ripe but firm pears, such as Bosc or Anjou — use ripe but firm pears, not soft ones, or they will turn to mush in the oven
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 100 g rolled oats — use old-fashioned rolled oats, not instant oats, or the topping will turn powdery
- 60 g plain flour
- 60 g flaked almonds
- 80 g light brown sugar
- 115 g cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
Method
- Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Butter a medium baking dish, about 20 x 25 cm.
- Peel, core, and slice the pears into pieces about 1 cm thick. Toss them in a large bowl with the lemon juice, granulated sugar, cornflour, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Tip them into the baking dish and spread them in an even layer.
- Mix the oats, flour, flaked almonds, and brown sugar in a separate bowl. Add the cold butter cubes and rub them in with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter left.
- Press the topping gently into a few big clusters with your hands, then scatter it loosely over the pears. Do not press it down flat — the topping needs gaps so steam can escape, or it will turn soggy.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the topping is golden and crisp and the pear juices are bubbling at the edges. Check the pears with a fork at 30 minutes — they should be soft but still hold their shape.
- Leave the crumble to rest for 10 minutes before serving, so the juices thicken a little. Serve warm with cream, custard, or vanilla ice cream.
Common Mistakes, Substitutions, Serving and Storage
Common mistakes: using overripe pears, so the filling turns to mush; pressing the topping down too hard, so it goes soggy instead of crisp; baking it too long, so the pears collapse and the topping burns at the edges.
Substitutions: use Anjou pears if you cannot find Bosc; use walnuts or pecans instead of almonds; use a pinch of nutmeg instead of ginger if you prefer.
Serving ideas: serve warm with vanilla ice cream, pouring cream, or custard. It is a good dessert after a roast dinner, and it works well on a Thanksgiving table next to other fruit desserts.
Storage and reheating: refrigerate leftovers in a covered dish for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 175°C (350°F) for 10 to 12 minutes, so the topping crisps up again. Do not reheat in the microwave, or the topping will go soft. Do not freeze the baked crumble.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which pears work best? Ripe but firm Bosc or Anjou pears. They hold their shape in the oven and turn sweet without collapsing. Soft, overripe pears go mushy before the topping is golden.
How do I keep the topping crisp? Press it into big clusters before baking, then scatter it loosely over the pears. Do not press it down flat, or steam gets trapped and the topping turns soggy.
Why add cornflour to the pears? Cornflour thickens the pear juices as they bake, so the filling is soft and syrupy instead of watery.
Can I make the crumble ahead? Yes. Assemble the crumble up to 1 day ahead, cover, and keep in the fridge. Bake from cold and add 5 minutes to the bake time.
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Spiced Pear Crumble with Cardamom and Oat Almond Topping
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oven to 190°C (375°F). Butter a medium baking dish, about 20 x 25 cm.
- Peel, core, and slice the pears into pieces about 1 cm thick. Toss them in a large bowl with the lemon juice, granulated sugar, cornflour, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. Tip them into the baking dish and spread them in an even layer.
- Mix the oats, flour, flaked almonds, and brown sugar in a separate bowl. Add the cold butter cubes and rub them in with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter left.
- Press the topping gently into a few big clusters with your hands, then scatter it loosely over the pears. Do not press it down flat — the topping needs gaps so steam can escape, or it will turn soggy.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the topping is golden and crisp and the pear juices are bubbling at the edges. Check the pears with a fork at 30 minutes — they should be soft but still hold their shape.
- Leave the crumble to rest for 10 minutes before serving, so the juices thicken a little. Serve warm with cream, custard, or vanilla ice cream.
