Pear & Brown Sugar Crisp

My grandmother would add a tablespoon or so of bourbon to her pear crisp filling. She called the addition “a little flavoring.”

For the topping:

• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 5 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup rolled oats (instant or old-fashioned oatmeal)
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• Pinch salt

For the pear filling:

• 3 lb. pears (about 6 large) such as Bosc or Bartlett, peeled, halved, and cored
• 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• Pinch ground cloves
• 4-1/2 tsp. cornstarch

Make the topping:

In a food processor, combine the flour, butter, oats, brown sugar, and salt; pulse until the mixture starts to hold together. Set aside.

Make the filling:

Heat the oven to 350°F. Cut the pears into pieces about 1 inch long by 1/2 inch thick. In a large bowl, mix the pears, lemon juice, vanilla, 1/3 cup of the sugar, the cinnamon, cloves, and cornstarch; toss to combine. Taste and add more sugar if you like.

Bake the crisp:

Pour the pear mixture into an 11x7 inch ovenproof baking dish or into individual ramekins. Cover with the topping. Turn the oven down to 325°F and bake the crisp until the top is golden brown and the pears are tender, 70 to 80 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.