Pear and Dark Chocolate Crisp

This time of year – when apples and pumpkins are getting all of the attention – we’d like to remind you that pears are perfectly in season too! I can’t think of a better way to enjoy fresh, juicy pears than this delicious Pear and Dark Chocolate Crisp.

Chunks of D’Anjou pears are mixed with chopped, fresh ginger root, then topped with chopped dark, bittersweet chocolate. Next, a generous topping of brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon and nutmeg is piled on top, then the crisp is baked until hot and bubbly inside and lightly golden brown on top.

This Pear and Dark Chocolate Crisp really is a special dessert! The sweetness of the pears is wonderfully complemented by the bittersweet chocolate – which helps prevent this dessert from being too sweet. The crunch of the pecans in the crumb topping is also a wonderful contrast of texture against the soft baked pears. And last but not least, a scoop of vanilla ice cream finishes the Pear and Dark Chocolate Crisp to perfection.

This Pear and Dark Chocolate Crisp is adapted from an old recipe clipping I’ve held onto for years, and it is adapted from a cookbook called “Bake and Freeze Desserts” by Elinor Kilvans. (Although we haven’t tried to do so ourselves, judging by the name of the cookbook, I assume you can bake this delicious Pear and Dark Chocolate Crisp ahead of time, then freeze it to reheat and serve later. Perfect for the busy holiday season ahead!)

One more thing to note: Be sure to select a variety of pear that is well-suited for baking when making this Pear and Dark Chocolate Crisp.  We used D’Anjou in our recipe today, but Bosc pears are also a good option. Barlett and Comice are not recommended – they will get too soft when baked.

Pear and Dark Chocolate Crisp

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews

• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 50 mins
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 8-10 servings

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Description

Note: For best results, the pears used in this recipe should be just ripe and not overly ripe and soft. Buy pears that are hard and firm, then place in a paper bag overnight along with a ripe banana to ripen just enough before using.

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Ingredients

Topping

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling

• 6 ripe D’Anjou pears, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 3 teaspoons finely chopped fresh ginger root
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 6 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
• Vanilla ice cream, for serving

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a medium bowl, combine all topping ingredients. Mix evenly until fine, moist crumbs form. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine pear chunks, chopped ginger root, melted butter, sugar and flour. Stir to evenly coat. Pour pear mixture into a large casserole dish or 9×13-inch glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle the chopped chocolate evenly over the pear mixture. Next, sprinkle the topping evenly over the chocolate.
4. Bake the crisp in the preheated oven for 45 to 55 minutes, until the top is golden and the inside is hot and bubbly with an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
5. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

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