(Culinary.net) Comfort food typically calls to mind soups, stews and hearty meals meant to warm you up on a chilly day. However, you can also turn to tasty treats as a way to end a cold day on a hot note.
For example, warm fruits baked into a crisp dessert provide an easy, heartwarming option for putting a smile on loved ones faces when the weather turns south. This Walnut Apple Pear Crisp combines two fall favorite fruits in a sweet and simple yet flavorful nibble.
Start by mixing the walnut crisp topping separate from the soul of the recipe: the apple pear filling. Then layer in a cast-iron pan and bake for an easy treat that cooks while you enjoy dinner with the family. In the end, the crunch of the crispy walnut crust provides a savory contrast to the sweetness of the fruity filling.
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Walnut Apple Pear Crisp
Ingredients
Walnut Crisp Topping:
- 1 1/2 cups California walnuts divided
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup butter chilled and sliced into pieces
Apple Pear Filling:
- 4 apples peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch slices
- 3 pears peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch slices
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ice cream optional
- caramel sauce optional
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 F.
- To make walnut crisp topping: In food processor, pulse 1 cup walnuts until finely ground. Set aside in separate bowl. In food processor, pulse remaining 1/2 cup walnuts until chopped. Set aside.
- In medium bowl, combine ground walnuts, flour, brown sugar, oats and cinnamon. Cut butter into mixture until coarse crumb forms.
- To make apple pear filling: In large bowl, toss apples, pears, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt and lemon juice.
- Pour fruit mixture in bottom of 12-inch cast-iron pan.
- Layer walnut crisp topping mixture over fruit.
- Bake 45 minutes, or until fruit mixture is hot and bubbly and topping is golden brown.
- Top with ice cream and caramel sauce, if desired.