Name: Caramelized-Pear Crisp with Dried Cranberries
Total time: 120 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, plus more for buttering the dish; 6 tablespoons dark brown sugar; 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon; Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg; 5 pounds ripe but firm Anjou or Bartlett pears—peeled, halved lengthwise, cored and cut into 1-inch wedges; 1 cup dried cranberries (5 ounces); Vanilla ice cream, for serving

In her 2013 A.O.C. Cookbook, chef Suzanne Goin makes this crisp with a compote of fresh and dried cranberries. This simpler version layers dried cranberries with caramelized pear wedges that are baked beneath a crumbly, buttery topping. Slideshows: Fruit Cobblers and Crisps

Suzanne Goin

Updated on September 4, 2015

Active Time:

1 hrs

Total Time:

2 hrs

Yield:

Ingredients

1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, plus more for buttering the dish
6 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
5 pounds ripe but firm Anjou or Bartlett pears—peeled, halved lengthwise, cored and cut into 1-inch wedges
1 cup dried cranberries (5 ounces)
Vanilla ice cream, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°. Butter an 8-by-12-inch ceramic baking dish; sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar over the bottom. In a food processor, pulse 1/3 cup of the granulated sugar with the flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and remaining 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Add 8 tablespoons of the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal; transfer to a bowl and pinch into clumps. Refrigerate until chilled, 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a cast-iron skillet. Add 1/2 tablespoon of the granulated sugar and cook over high heat, swirling, until dissolved, 1 minute. Add one-fourth of the pears, cut side down, and cook, turning once, until browned on the cut sides, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the pears to a baking sheet and wipe out the skillet. Repeat three more times with the remaining butter, granulated sugar and pears.
Arrange half of the pears in a single layer in the baking dish and sprinkle with half of the cranberries. Top with the remaining pears and cranberries. Sprinkle the topping over the fruit and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the crisp is bubbling and golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes; serve with ice cream.