Crisps are always a hit, especially with such a delicious flavour combination as juicy pears and sweet, tart cherries. This easy recipe from Ricardo Larrivee is no exception; serve warm or at room temperature, with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream.

[pearcherrycrisp]

Ingredients

Crisp Topping

1 cup (250 mL) coarsely chopped pecans
1 cup (250 mL) quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup (125 mL) brown sugar
1/2 cup (125 mL) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, melted

Filling

1/2 cup (125 mL) brown sugar
1 tbsp (15 mL) unbleached all-purpose flour
7 Bartlett pears, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2 cm (1/4 inch) thick slices
1 cup (250 mL) canned Morello cherries, drained, or pitted fresh cherries, or frozen and thawed

Preparation

1. With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F).

For the Crisp Topping

1. In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add the butter and stir until the mixture is just moistened. Set aside.

For the Filling

1. In a 20-cm (8-inch) square pan or a 2 litres (8 cups)-capacity baking dish, combine the brown sugar and flour. Add the fruits and toss to combine.
2. Top with the crisp topping and bake for about 45 minutes or until the crisp is golden brown. Serve warm or cold. Serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

Tip

If you choose to bake the crisp in six 250 ml (1 cup) ramekins, bake for 30 minutes at 190 °C (375 °F).

Yield: Serves 6