Pear Crisp with Vanilla Butter
Serves 6 - use Ramekins Contributed by Jenn from Anticiplate. *You can assemble these one day in advance and refrigerate them. Bring them to room temperature before baking.
Ingredients
For Topping
  • 1 1/2C Flour
  • 1/3C Whole Almonds with Skin, unsalted
  • 1/4C Brown Sugar, packed
  • 1/2tsp Cinnamon
  • 2Tbsp Sugar
  • 1stick Butter, unsalted - melted and cooled
  • 1/2tsp Salt
Filling
  • 1 Vanilla Bean, split lengthwise
  • 1/2stick Butter, unsalted
  • 2Tbsp Sugar
  • 1Tbsp Flour
  • 3lb D'Anjou or Bartlett Pears (6 med sized) peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 2Tbsp Bear Brandy, don't leave out
Instructions
  1. Make topping:
  2. In a food processor or blender, pulse together flour, almonds, brown sugar, and salt until the nuts are finely chopped.
  3. Add the melted butter slowly and pulse mixture until blended.
  4. Place mixture in a shallow baking pan, and spread out evenly.
  5. Cool for at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days
  6. Make filling and bake crisps:
  7. Preheat oven to 425 degrees and place a rack in the middle of the oven.
  8. Scrape seeds from the inside of the vanilla bean (with the back of your knife) into a small sauce pan.
  9. Add the pod, and butter and cook over medium-low heat, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter is slightly browned and fragrant, about 5 minutes.
  10. While the butter is browning (make sure to keep checking on it), stir together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour and a pinch of kosher salt in a large bowl.
  11. Add in the pears and the pear brandy and toss to combine.
  12. From the brown butter, remove the vanilla pod carefully, and toss the butter with the pear mixture.
  13. Spoon the filling into the 6 ramekins, evenly.
  14. Spoon the cooled topping over the pear mixture, mounding slightly in the center.
  15. Place on a baking sheet and cook for 40-45 minutes, rotating the crisps once, until golden brown and bubbling.
  16. Let cool. Serve with vanilla ice cream, or just by itself!