Red Anjou Pear Crisp

INGREDIENTS FOR CRISP:

1/4 cup (50 mL) light brown sugar

2 tablespoons (30 mL) granulated sugar

1/4 cup (50 mL) flour

1/4 cup (50 mL) quick oats

2 tablespoons (30 mL) pecans, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) salt

1/4 cup (50 mL) unsalted butter, melted

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 325 °F (160 °C). Combine brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, oats, pecans, and salt in large bowl. Add butter and blend until the mixture has reached a crumbly texture. Spread the mixture evenly onto a cookie sheet and bake for 5 to 8 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool and break into small pieces.

INGREDIENTS FOR CARAMELIZED PEARS:

2 red anjou pears, or other variety

2/3 cup (150 mL) granulated sugar

1/2 vanilla bean split and scraped, or 1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) pure vanilla extract

3 tablespoons (45 mL) lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) salt

2 tablespoons (30 mL) unsalted butter

1/4 cup (50 mL) pear liqueur

Procedure:

Peel the pear and cut into half-inch thick slices. Toss the pear slices in sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, and salt. In sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add pear mixture and sauté until the pear is soft and evenly caramelized, stirring gently to keep the fruit intact. Remove the pan from the heat and add pear liqueur to deglaze it. Stir together.

INGREDIENTS FOR PHYLLO SHELLS

4 sheets phyllo dough

1/4 cup (50 mL) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons (30 mL) confectioner's sugar

2 tablespoons (30 mL) honey

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 °F (180 °C). This following process must be done twice, each time using two sheets of phyllo pastry. Melt butter and honey together in microwave or saucepan. Lay one sheet of dough on clean surface, brush with butter-honey mixture, and sprinkle with sugar. Lay second sheet of dough over first layer, repeat brushing and sprinkling. With your two layers of phyllo now ready, cut rectangle in half, using a straight edge. Take one half and cut into four even pieces. Layer each strip on top of each other. You will now have a strip of phyllo pastry, 8 layers thick. Repeat for the other half. Now repeat process with the other two sheets of phyllo pastry.

Take each shell and line the inside of four small ramekins. Fill the ramekins with dry beans to hold the shape of the dough as it cooks. Bake for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Allow ramekins to cool for 10 minutes before removing beans and phyllo.

INGREDIENTS FOR GARNISH PEAR CHIPS:

1 red anjou pear or other variety

Confectioner's sugar as needed

Procedure:

Pre-heat oven to 200 °F (95 °C). Cut pear in half from top to bottom. Using a mandolin or a sharp knife, cut the pear half into thin slices the thickness of a dime. Dust parchment paper with confectioner's sugar. Place the pear slices on top and dust with more sugar. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the pear is dry.

Assembly:

Place phyllo shell in centre of a white square plate. Fill the shell to 3/4 full with pear filling, and top with crisp mixture. Place a small scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on top of assembled product. Garnish vertically with 3 thin slices of dried pear, wedged into top of crisp.