Apple Pear Recipes

APPLE PEAR PIE

Steps:

• Line a 9-in. pie plate with bottom pastry; trim to 1 in. beyond edge of plate. In a large bowl, combine the pears, apples, 1 cup sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg. Transfer mixture to crust; dot with butter. , Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pie; cut slits or decorative cutouts in pastry. Place over filling; trim, seal and flute edges. Add decorative cutouts if desired. Brush with milk; sprinkle with remaining sugar. Cover edges loosely with foil. , Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Remove foil; bake 30-35 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

APPLE OR PEAR JAM

Steps:

• Place a small plate in the refrigerator to chill. (You'll use this later.)
• In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, cover fruit and any add-ins (see note) with 4 cups/960 milliliters of water. Bring to a strong simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until water is reduced by about 3/4, and fruit is soft and tender (or even falling apart slightly), 20 to 30 minutes.
• Add sugar and continue to cook, stirring occasionally at first and more frequently as the jam cooks and juices thicken until most of the liquid has evaporated and the fruit has really started to break down, another 30 to 40 minutes.
• As the jam cooks, the liquid reduces, the sugars thicken and the natural pectins activate. You'll notice the liquid go from a rapid, rolling boil with smaller bubbles to a slow, thick, tarlike boil with larger bubbles: This is the stage at which it's most important to stir constantly along the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching and sticking. (Sugar is heavier than water and will concentrate there, increasing any chance of the fruit burning.) It's also the stage at which splattering may occur, so take care in stirring.
• When the jam reaches a slow, thick boil, add lemon juice and incorporate any of the add-ins and continue to cook, stirring constantly until the jam has returned to its previously thickened state, about another 5 minutes. At this stage, the jam should look like a coarse, shiny applesauce. But if you'd really like to be sure, spoon a bit of jam onto the chilled plate, return it to the refrigerator and chill for 2 minutes. Drag your finger through it: It should hold its shape on either side without appearing watery or runny. If it doesn't, cook it a few minutes more.
• Using a spoon or other utensil, pick out any spices or vanilla beans. Divide between jars, leaving 1/4 inch of space from the top of the jar, and seal immediately. Can the jams (see our How to Make Jam guide for more instruction), or store in the refrigerator, using them up within a couple of weeks.

APPLE AND PEAR CRUMBLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix oats, flour, 3/4 cup brown sugar, and butter together in a bowl until crumbly.
• Mix apples, pears, 3/4 cup brown sugar, and cinnamon together in a separate bowl; spread into the bottom of a 9x9-inch glass pan. Sprinkle oat mixture atop apple-pear mixture; top with almonds.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the top is golden brown, about 40 minutes.

APPLE PEAR SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat a skillet over medium heat; add pears, apples, water, and vanilla extract to the hot skillet. Cover and simmer fruit mixture for 10 minutes; remove lid and cook until most of liquid is evaporated and fruit is softened, 10 to 15 more minutes.
• Remove skillet from heat and transfer fruit mixture and any remaining liquid to a food processor. Process until smooth; stir in cinnamon. Serve warm or refrigerate up to 4 days.

APPLE PEAR CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first 8 ingredients. Combine dry ingredients; stir into the fruit mixture. , Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 325° until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack. , For frosting, in a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and butter until smooth. Beat in the milk and vanilla; frost cake. Store in the refrigerator.

APPLE AND PEAR CRISP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Peel, core, and cut the pears and apples into large chunks. Place the fruit in a large bowl and add the zests, juices, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Pour into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch oval baking dish.
• For the topping: Combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed for 1 minute, until the mixture is in large crumbles. Sprinkle evenly over the fruit, covering the fruit completely.
• Place the baking dish on a sheet pan and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the top is brown and the fruit is bubbly. Serve warm.