Pear Crisp for 2

When we moved into your newest place, one of the things I was most excited about was the pear tree. We didn't get very many last year, but this year they're huge, and I think the grand total is eleven, which isn't too shabby for a little tree. 

Part of where I went wrong last year was that I didn't know you're supposed to harvest pears before they're ripe. I thought they were like apples, and kept waiting for them to soften on the tree. Eventually they just got funky and fell. Pears that ripen on trees become mealy and eventually their cores begin to break down, making them pretty unappetizing. These are Bartlett pears (I think) which are ready to pick when they're green, and ripen to a soft yellow. To see if they're ready, lift them up to a 30 degree angle. They should easily snap off into your hand. If you have to pull or twist them, check back later. 

I picked two pears last week which finished early, and this is the rest of the harvest. 

Notice the difference in color in the ripened pear. 

 Pear Crisp w/basil cream

• 2 ripe pears, chopped
• 1 small lemon
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup oats
• 2 tbsp cane sugar
• ground nuts (optional)
• basil whipped cream

Heat the oven to 375. Mix the chopped pears with honey, lemon, and cinnamon, and allow to sit while you prepare the crumble. I made mine by hand, 'cause I didn't feel like cleaning the food processor, but the easiest thing to do would be to mix the rest of the ingredients in a food processor until the butter is mixed in and crumbly. Place the pears in little tart pans, top with the crumble, and place in the oven for about 20-30 minutes. 

Basil Whipped Cream

8oz heavy cream

2 large basil leaves, chopped

powdered sugar

Simmer cream on stove with basil leaves for just a few minutes. Cool completely in fridge. (This takes several hours.) Strain basil and process as regular whipped cream with a little powdered sugar. 

The pear crisp will begin to smell really good when it's about ready. I snuggled with Sully on the couch while we waited. Allow to cool for a bit before eating, and top with basil whipped cream. We ate ours on pot holders while they were still warm.

 

Drew wasn't a huge fan of the fresh basil on the top, so we'll probably omit that next time, but the infused cream was a keeper for sure.