What kind of pear is used in pie?

The BEST Pears for Pie I like to use Anjou (red or green), Bartletts (red or green), or Bosc pears in pie. To avoid a mushy filling, look for pears that are slightly firm. Your best bet is to purchase about 6-7 pears, then let them sit in a paper bag for 1-2 days to slightly ripen.

Why do you put lemon juice in a pie?

Lemon juice amplifies a pie's flavors and balances out all the sugar with a bit of tartness , which is why it should also be included in pumpkin pie.

What pears bake best?

You'll want to choose pears that hold together well when making poached, baked, or grilled pears. Look to the crispest raw pears to find those that can withstand heat. The popular Bosc pear is the best option. Anjou pears are another top choice and Concorde and French butter pears are also reliable.

What is the difference between Bartlett pears and Anjou pears?

D'Anjou has a firmer texture than Bartlett and won't change color as it ripens (so you have to check the neck). Once it's ripe and ready, it's hard to beat the juicy, sweet and citrus-like flavor of a d'Anjou.

Why put vinegar in a pie?

Why do you put vinegar in pie crust? It makes the pie crust exceedingly tender and flaky .

Can I use vinegar instead of lemon juice in a pie?

Vinegar: use half the amount of vinegar to replace lemon juice and replace the remaining liquid with water if needed. White wine: only for cooking, use an equal amount of dry white wine to replace lemon juice.

Why do you put cold water in pie dough?

As the fat is mixed with the flour, it is warmed slightly. Then, the water is poured in, and the ice-cold temperature of the water prevents the fat from warming any further , which could potentially melt it into the flour rather than retaining the small bits of fat.

What are D Anjou pears good for?

From Bosc to Anjou, there's a pear for almost everyone's pallet. Besides their delicious flavor, pears are also very nutritious. Their fiber content promotes digestive health and blood sugar regulation, and the antioxidants in their skin can counter chronic inflammation linked with a variety of chronic diseases .

What are the firm pears for baking?

Bosc pears are a favorite for poaching and baking since their firmer texture means they retain their elegant shape when cooked.

What pear has the most flavor?

Bartlett pears (also called Williams) have what most people would consider the true “pear flavor.” Both red and green Bartletts are bell-shaped. You can find them in stores from September through the early months of winter. Since pears are harvested unripe, allow them to ripen at room temperature.

What are the crunchy pears called?

Bosc Pear Crisp when raw, Bosc pears are the best example of the soft, crunchy texture that pears are typically associated with. Both Bartlett and Bosc pears are cultivated varieties of Pyrus communis.

Easy Pear Pie Recipe | gritsandpinecones.com (2024)

Date: Aug 4, 2019 · Updated: Sep 20, 2022 Author: Sharon Rigsby

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This easy homemade Pear Pie recipe combines the sweet and tender flavors of baked pears infused with cinnamon and nutmeg with a flakey buttery crust. It’s how dessert dreams are made!

A sweet friend recently dropped off a bag of fresh pears from their farm. And my mouth started watering just thinking about the pie I was going to make. When life hands you a bag of pears, well, you have to make a pear pie! I think it’s a rule of nature!

You’ve never tasted a pear pie? How can that be? We need to remedy that right now. With a purchased crust, there is nothing easier to make. Peel and slice some fresh pears. Mix them with a little sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, flour, and lemon juice and pour them into a prepared crust. Bake and voilà, pear pie!

A close cousin to apple pie, pear pie takes the best of summer’s fresh pears and turns them into a luscious dessert that will have you coming back for more. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream, and you have a dessert that your company will rave about!

What kind of pears to use?

The best pears are the old-fashioned, hard sand pears you probably remember from your youth or backyard pear tree. Barlett pears which are firm and not too ripe, also work well. You want a pear that doesn’t give when it is squeezed softly. If your pears are soft, they will be mushy after baking. The softer pears will also give off too much juice, which will cause your crust to be soggy.

How to make it:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Place one crust in an ungreased 9-inch glass pie plate. Smooth out when your fingers so that it covers the bottom and sides of the dish.

Add the pears, sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, lemon juice, and nutmeg to a large bowl. Gently stir all ingredients until they are thoroughly mixed.

Pour into the prepared crust. Spread the filling out evenly.

Top with the second crust. Gently fold the excess top crust over and under the sides of the bottom crust and press edges together to seal. You should have an even double roll of crust around the top.

Sharon’s Expert Tips:

If you need help fluting the crust, check out this short instructional video.
This recipe is best when made with hard or firm, slightly underripe pears.
Do not make the filling ahead of time. The pears will turn brown and will give off too much juice, which will result in a soggy crust.
You can use a frozen unbaked deep-dish shell if you do not want a top crust. If you do, you can top the pears with a streusel mixture consisting of ⅓ cup flour, ⅓ cup brown sugar, and three tablespoons cold butter. Mix the streusel ingredients with a fork and sprinkle evenly over the top of the pears — bake as directed.
Instead of using aluminum foil to keep your crust from burning, crust shields can be purchased, which you can reuse.

This recipe calls for a 9-inch pie plate, and all I had was a dish that measured 9.5 inches at the top. Because of this, my bottom crust wasn’t large enough to extend past the edge of the dish. Consequently, I didn’t have enough overlap to produce a pretty fluted edge. Of course, it still tasted the same, but the crust edges weren’t as pretty as they could have been.

More dessert recipes with fruit:

If you like easy dessert recipes with fresh fruit or berries, you might also be interested in these popular recipes on my blog:

Old Fashioned Strawberry Pie
The Best Kumquat Pie
Southern Style Easy Fresh Peach Pie
Classic Southern Style Blackberry Pie
Southern Peach Cobbler
Classic Southern Strawberry Shortcake, and
Strawberry Trifle with Angel Food Cake
Old-fashioned Blackberry Pie

Need more dessert ideas? Check out all of my dessert recipes here.

★ If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and give it a star rating. I would love to know how you liked it!

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Pear Pie Recipe

Sharon Rigsby

Imagine a delicious homemade pear pie, laced with a flakey buttery crust and a juicy, cinnamon and nutmeg infused fresh pear pie filling. It is the stuff dessert dreams are made of.

5 from 6 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Time to Cool 2 hours hrs

Total Time 3 hours hrs

Course Dessert

Cuisine American, Southern

Servings 8 servings

Calories 246 kcal

Ingredients

▢ 6 cups thinly sliced pears peeled, about 6-7 medium-size pears
▢ ¾ cup sugar
▢ 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
▢ ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
▢ ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
▢ ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
▢ 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
▢ 1 pkg refrigerated pie crusts You need two crusts

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Place one crust in an ungreased 9-inch glass pie plate. Smooth out when your fingers so that it covers the bottom and sides of the dish.
Add the pears, sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, lemon juice, and nutmeg to a large bowl. Gently stir all ingredients until they are thoroughly mixed. Pour into the prepared pie crust. Spread the filling out evenly.
Top with the second crust. Gently fold the excess top crust over and under the sides of the bottom crust and press edges together to seal. You should have an even double roll of pie crust around the top.
To flute, the pie crust, use one finger to push the inner edge out while pinching the outer edge in with the thumb and index finger of the other hand. Repeat around the entire edge of the pie. Alternatively, you can take a fork and press the tines around the entire edge of the pie to seal the crust.
Cut several slits in the top crust.
Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and place strips of aluminum foil around the pie crust edge to keep it from browning too fast. Bake for another 20-25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for at least two hours before serving.

Notes

Sharon's Expert Tips:

This recipe is best when made with hard or firm slightly underripe pears.
Do not make the pie filling ahead of time. The pears will turn brown and will give off too much juice, which will result in a soggy crust.
You can use a frozen unbaked deep-dish pie shell if you do not want a top crust. If you do, you can top the pears with a streusel mixture consisting of ⅓ cup flour, ⅓ cup brown sugar, and 3 tablespoons cold butter. Mix the streusel ingredients with a fork and sprinkle evenly over the top of the pears — bake as directed.
If you need help fluting the pie crust, check out this short instructional video.
Instead of using aluminum foil to keep your crust from burning, pie crust shields can be purchased, which you can reuse.
This recipe calls for a 9-inch pie plate and all I had was a dish that measured 9.5 inches at the top. Because of this, my bottom crust wasn't large enough to extend past the edge of the dish. Consequently, I didn't have enough overlap to produce a pretty fluted edge. Of course, the pie still tasted the same, but the crust edges weren't as pretty as they could have been.

Nutrition

Calories: 246kcalCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 2gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 161mgPotassium: 161mgFiber: 4gSugar: 31gVitamin A: 30IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 17mgIron: 1mg

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