Pear Bettys Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place bread on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake, stirring halfway through, until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely. Transfer to a resealable plastic bag; seal bag. Coarsely crush with a rolling pin so that the largest pieces are the size of peas.
• Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Remove from heat. Stir in breadcrumbs, sugar, spices, salt, 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cider, and the lemon juice. Let stand 10 minutes.
• Peel pears; cut into 1/2-inch chunks. Place a heaping 1/2 cup pears in each of 6 small (5-inch) pie plates or ramekins. Top each with 1/4 cup breadcrumb mixture; drizzle each with 1 tablespoon cider. Top with remaining pears, then with remaining breadcrumb mixture.
• Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper; cover with foil. Bake 30 minutes. Uncover; bake until topping is browned and juices are bubbling, about 15 minutes. Let cool on sheet on a wire rack 15 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Combine cherries and brandy in small bowl; let soak until cherries soften, 1 to 2 hours. Drain (reserve brandy for another use).
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Combine bread pieces and almonds in processor. Using on/off turns, blend until mixture resembles very coarse crumbs. Spread crumb mixture evenly on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until crumb mixture is light golden and crisp, about 16 minutes. Transfer crumb mixture to medium bowl; toss with melted butter. Set aside. Maintain oven temperature.
• Mix 1 1/2 cups hot water and honey in 2-cup measuring cup. Combine drained cherries, brown sugar, lemon juice, lemon peel, cinnamon, nutmeg, sea salt, and cloves in large bowl; stir to blend well. Add pear cubes and toss to coat.
• Butter 9x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Sprinkle 1/3 of crumb mixture over bottom of prepared baking pan. Spread half of pear mixture over crumb mixture. Top with 1/3 of crumb mixture, then remaining pear mixture. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture evenly over. Pour water-honey mixture over.
• Cover pan tightly with foil and bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake uncovered until crumb mixture is golden brown on top and pear filling is bubbling thickly at edges, about 45 minutes longer. Remove from oven and cool at least 20 minutes. do ahead Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool completely, then cover and chill. Rewarm uncovered in 300°F oven 15 to 20 minutes.
• Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F. Cut pastry into 4 squares. On ungreased cookie sheet, place pastry squares.
• Peel pear, and cut into quarters; remove seeds. Slice each pear quarter into very thin slices. Arrange pear slices over pastry squares, leaving 1/2-inch border.
• Bake about 20 minutes or until pastry is puffed and browned. Spread 1 tablespoon preserves over top of each warm tartlet to cover pears. Cool on cookie sheet 10 minutes before serving.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray eight 4-ounce ramekins or custard cups with vegetable spray; coat each with 3/4 teaspoon granulated sugar. Cut bread into 1/4-inch cubes; place on a baking sheet and toast until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool. Raise oven temperature to 400 degree.
• Slice pears in half lengthwise; core. Cut each half crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices; place in a bowl. Add 3 tablespoons brown sugar, cornstarch, ginger, brandy, and 4 tablespoons pear nectar; toss to combine.
• Place bread cubes in a bowl; add melted butter and half the liquid from pear mixture; toss to combine. Place 1 heaping tablespoon bread in each ramekin to cover bottom. Distribute half the pears among ramekins. Add 1 heaping tablespoon blueberries to each; cover with remaining pears. Divide remaining bread over pears; drizzle with remaining pear liquid.
• Cover each ramekin with foil; press down on tops and place on a baking sheet. Place a baking pan on top of ramekins and fill with dried beans to weight it. Bake until puddings are golden, about 50 minutes. Remove weight and transfer ramekins to a wire rack; let cool for about 20 minutes. Remove foil. Unmold onto serving plates.
• Meanwhile, whisk yogurt with remaining tablespoon brown sugar and pear nectar. Serve yogurt sauce on the side.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and apple pie spice. Cut in 1/2 cup butter, using pastry blender (or pulling 2 table knives through ingredients in opposite directions), until mixture looks like rolled oats. Stir in 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and the brown sugar; set aside.
• Peel and core apples. Cut into quarters, then cut each quarter crosswise in half. Repeat with pears. In 4-quart Dutch oven, combine 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice. Heat over medium heat until butter is melted; stir in apples. Partly cover; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add pears; cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes, depending on ripeness of pears. In small bowl, mix remaining 2 tablespoons lemon juice, the cornstarch and cinnamon; add to fruit mixture. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened.
• Spoon fruit mixture into ungreased 9 1/2-inch glass deep-dish pie plate. Spoon topping evenly over fruit. Place pie plate on cookie sheet.
• Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until topping is golden brown and fruit is bubbly. Serve warm or cool.