The results you get when baking a pear pie completely depend on the pears used to make it. Just like apples, some pears hold their shapes well during baking and some will fall apart. For the best results, start with a drier variety, such as a Bosc, Anjou or Bartlett pear, add a few seasonings and top with a second layer of crust or a sweet crumb topping. Pears are a good source of fiber and as long as you leave off a whipped cream or ice cream topping, pear pie makes a tasty and healthy dessert option.
Step 1
Peel eight "just ripe" baking pears.
Step 2
Slice each pear into lengthwise quarters, remove the inner seed section with a paring knife and then cut each quarter into 1/2-inch-thick slices.
Step 3
Transfer the pear slices to a mixing bowl.
Step 4
Sprinkle the sugar or sugar substitute, flour, cinnamon and cloves or nutmeg over the pears and toss the mixture with a large spoon to coat the pears with the seasonings.
Step 5
Gently press one pie dough round into a pie pan.
Step 6
Add and arrange the pears so that they lie flat and close together within the crust.
Step 7
Cut 1 tbsp. unsalted butter or margarine into four pieces and set them an equal distance apart on top of the pears.
Step 8
Cover the pears with the second pie dough round; trim off any overhang and crimp the top and bottom pie dough layers together with your fingers.
Step 9
Cut five to six venting slits in the top crust, each about 1 inch in length.
Step 10
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake the pear pie until the crust browns and pear juice starts to bubble up through the venting slits, about 60 to 90 minutes.
Step 11
Remove the pie from your oven, set it on a cooling rack and let it cool for about three hours before serving.
Tips and Warnings
- As an alternative to a double crust, mix together 1 cup flour and ½ cup brown sugar in a small bowl. Using a fork, cut in ½ cup unsalted butter or margarine. Sprinkle the crumb topping over the pie and bake the pie at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until the topping turns a golden-brown color. Use aluminum foil to prevent the edges of a double crust pie from burning or a crumb topping from browning too quickly. On a double crust pie, cover the crust edges with strips of aluminum foil, removing the foil after about 45 minutes of baking. On a crumb topping, set a sheet of aluminum foil over the top of the pie and remove it after 30 minutes of baking.
Things You'll Need
- 10-inch double pie crust
- Vegetable peeler
- Paring knife
- Mixing bowl
- 1/2 cup sugar or granulated sugar substitute
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp. cloves or nutmeg
- Pie pan
- 1 tbsp. unsalted butter or low-fat margarine
- Cooling rack
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