Canned Pear Streusel Pie Food

SWEET CHERRY STREUSEL PIE

Steps:

• Use a bench scraper to cut butter into ½-inch cubes. (If butter begins to "sweat," dust with flour.) In a large, flat-bottomed bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter cubes and toss to coat with the flour mixture. Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour; do not smash or smear the butter. Scrape butter off the pastry blender during the mixing process and continue mixing. (If butter is softening too fast, put the bowl in the refrigerator until butter firms up, 2-5 minutes.) Continue cutting, working quickly, until butter is broken down and looks like a coarse crumble with only a few larger pieces.
• Combine vinegar with water and ice; you'll use 10-12 tablespoons of this liquid in the pie dough. Begin by sprinkling 4 tablespoons of liquid over the flour mixture; use a bench scraper or your hands to incorporate until the mixture begins to come together. Sprinkle in 4 more tablespoons of liquid and continue the mixing process. Squeeze a fistful of dough: if it holds, like wet sand, it's ready. If it falls apart, add 1-2 more tablespoons of liquid at a time, squeezing the dough to check if it holds. Bring all the dough together, sprinkling dry bits with more small drops of liquid as necessary; dough will look shaggy. Knead in the bowl just until incorporated.
• Turn dough onto a work surface and use a bench scraper to divide dough into two equal pieces. Shape into flat disks and wrap in plastic; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight. Dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and frozen up to 1 month, tightly wrapped.
• Generously grease pie dish with softened butter. Dust a work surface and a rolling pin with flour. Place one chilled pie disk on the work surface and lightly dust it with flour. (Reserve the other disk for another use.) Roll dough by starting at the center and lightly pressing down with the rolling pin to flatten slightly. Rotate the dough and repeat, pressing down so it's evenly flattened all around, about ⅛-inch thick. Then roll outward to make a circle, rotating the dough a quarter-turn at a time to keep it even. (If dough is softening too fast, chill in the refrigerator until firm, 2-5 minutes.) Roll the dough until it's about 2-3 inches larger than the pie dish, all the way around. Use a pizza wheel to trim away the rough edges. (Save the scraps to make crust cookies!)
• Overturn pie dish onto the center of the dough circle, then remove and place it right side up on your work surface. Use the light indentation created by the rim as a guide for gently positioning dough into the center of the dish. (If dough is softening too fast, put it back into the refrigerator until it firms up, 2-5 minutes.) Fit crust gently into dish, being careful not to stretch the dough. Begin crimping the edge by using your fingers to roll the dough firmly so it rests on top of the rim. Crimp by using your index finger and thumb on one hand to squeeze a letter "C" into the dough rim. (Lightly flour your fingers if the dough is sticking.) Repeat, crimping the entire pie and making sure the final fluted crust sits directly on top of the pan's rim. Pie is ready to be filled and baked.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Wearing gloves, use a cherry pitter to pit the cherries, with a large bowl to catch the pits. Set cherries aside.
• Streusel: In a mixing bowl, add flour, sugar, and salt. Combine using a pastry blender. Then cut in butter until the cubes are smashed and coated with dry ingredients. Wipe butter off of pastry blender and continue mixing with your fingers, rubbing the butter into the dry ingredients until texture is similar to wet sand. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. (You can store streusel in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to one month.)
• Filling: Peel the apple, then shred on the large holes of a box grater. Discard the peel and core. In a large mixing bowl, combine potato starch, brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, salt, and bitters. Squeeze lemon juice into the cherries, then add to sugar-spice mixture along with the shredded apple. Toss until well mixed, crushing some of the cherries with your hands.
• Assembly: Pour filling into the refrigerated pie shell, packing down the cherries and adding all the remaining juices. Evenly distribute the streusel on top.
• Pie will bake for a total of 1 hour. Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet on the lowest rack of the oven. Bake until crust is set and beginning to brown, 20-25 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 375 degrees F, move the pie to the center oven rack, and continue to bake until the pastry is a deep golden brown and the juices are bubbling, 30-35 minutes longer. (If crust is browning but the filling isn't bubbling, cover with aluminum foil and bake until the filling bubbles.) Allow pie to cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into it, 2-3 hours. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

PEAR PIE WITH STREUSEL TOPPING

Steps:

• Equipment Set aside a rolling pin, 9-inch (23-cm) pie plate (I highly recommend ceramic), pastry brush, bench scraper, kitchen scissors, and plastic wrap. You will need these items as you prepare and assemble the pie dough.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt until combined. Add the cubed cold butter pieces and toss gently, so that each piece of butter is lightly coated in the flour mixture. Using your thumb and forefinger on both hands, press the butter cubes using your thumb and forefinger of both hands into shingles or thick discs. Break up any large pieces of butter with your fingers so they're no bigger than the size of a half walnut. If the butter pieces are too large, it can result in butter leaking during baking. If the dough becomes at all greasy, allow the mixture to chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before continuing.
• Add 3 tablespoons (45 mL) of the cold ice water, then toss and mix the ingredients together with your hands until the water has been evenly incorporated. If any bits are particularly dry, add a touch of water to those bits as needed. *Note: You will most likely need to use the full 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup; 60 mL) of water, but this can vary depending on your flour and the humidity of your kitchen. The dough will be slightly shaggy, but should be able to be pressed together with your hands. Transfer to your kitchen countertop, press the dough together, folding it over itself once or twice to laminate the dough and help bring it together.
• Gently shape the dough into a round disc, roughly 1-inch thick, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours (minimum) or 1-2 days ahead. Make-Ahead Tip: Pie dough can also be frozen for up to 3 months; thaw in the fridge overnight before using.
• Remove the chilled dough from the fridge, unwrap, and place on a lightly floured countertop. Allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes if it is too cold. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a 14-inch (35-cm) diameter circle rotating the dough continuously to ensure it is not sticking to the countertop. Be gentle and avoid stretching the dough. If the dough becomes too soft or difficult to work with, chill in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes before proceeding.
• Carefully transfer the dough to a 9-inch (22-cm) pie pan. Gently lift and nudge the dough into the edges of the pan without stretching the dough. Using kitchen scissors, trim the overhang so that it extends no more than ¾-inch to 1-inch past the edge of the pan. Fold the edges under and crimp as desired. Brush off any excess flour with a pastry brush, cover the surface, tightly with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator while you prepare the streusel topping and pear filling.
• Set a half sheet pan in the center rack of the oven and preheat the oven (and sheet pan) to 400°F (204°C). Note: If you have a baking stone or steel, set the half sheet pan on top for an extra blast of heat.
• Make the Streusel Topping: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the ¾ cup (90g) unbleached all-purpose flour, ¾ cup (75g) rolled oats, ¼ cup (55g) light brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, ⅛ teaspoon ginger, ⅛ teaspoon allspice, and ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Add 5 tablespoons (70g) cubed unsalted butter and toss to coat.
• Using your fingertips, work and press the butter into the dry ingredients until the butter is well dispersed and there is a good mixture of smaller and larger crumbs. Chill topping in the refrigerator until ready to use.
• Put the lemon juice into a large mixing bowl. Peel the pears, cut in half, and core (*I use a small melon scooper for this). Chop into roughly ½-inch chunks and add to the lemon juice, tossing the pieces gently to coat. This will help them from oxidizing. Note: I like to peel, core, and chop one pear at a time, adding it to the lemon juice, and tossing before proceeding with the next pear.
• Add the brown sugar, all-purpose flour, vanilla extract, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and salt to the bowl with the chopped pear. Toss the mixture together gently to incorporate the ingredients evenly.
• Prepare Egg Wash: Combine the egg and milk in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.
• Remove the shaped and chilled crust from the refrigerator. Gently transfer the pear filling with any juices into the pie shell, spreading it into an even, thick layer.
• Sprinkle the crumble topping over the pear mixture (it will be a thick and generous layer!). Brush the crimped edges of the pie dough lightly with the egg wash mixture. Transfer the pie dish onto the preheated half sheet pan in the oven. The added heat from the sheet pan will help the bottom crust cook through and brown, as well as catch any potential bubbling juices during baking.
• Bake the pie at 400°F (204°C) for 30 minutes; reduce the oven to 350°F (176°C) and continue baking for an additional 30 to 40 minutes, or until deeply golden and the pear filling is just bubbling.
• Set pan on a wire rack and allow pie to cool for at least 2 to 3 hours before serving. Allowing the pie to cool is important as it helps set and prevent a runny filling.
• Serve slightly warm with vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of heavy cream. Custard or lightly whipped cream are other great choices.
• Storage Tips: Leftover pie can be covered with plastic wrap and kept out at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerated for up to 4 to 5 days.

APPLE AND PEAR STREUSEL PIE

Steps:

• Make the topping: In a medium bowl, mix the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add the butter and, using your fingertips, pinch the ingredients together into a sandy, crumbly mixture. Do not over mix; as soon as the mixture is sandy, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
• Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. If using a refrigerated crust, use it to line a glass pie dish. If using a frozen crust, let thaw at room temperature and gently remove the crust from the aluminum liner. Transfer to a glass pie dish.
• In a medium bowl, toss the apples, pears, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and butter together. Place the filling in the pie crust. Sprinkle the streusel topping on top and place the pie on a sheet pan to catch any juices. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the juices are bubbling. Check the pie after 30 minutes; if the streusel topping is already brown, cover lightly with foil.
• Let cool at least 30 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

PEAR PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400*F.
• Arrange pear halves cut side up in pie shell.
• Combine sugar, ginger, sour cream and egg; mix well.
• Pour over pears.
• **Streusel Topping**.
• In small bowl, combine flour, brown sugar and cinnamon.
• Cut in butter until crumbly.
• Stir in nuts.
• Sprinkle with Streusel Topping over pie.
• Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
• Cool.
• Store in refrigerator.

PEAR STREUSEL PIE

Steps:

• Fit piecrust into a 9-inch pie plate according to package directions; fold edges under, and crimp.
• In a bowl, combine pear slices and next 3 ingredients; toss gently.
• In another bowl, combine 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, and next 3 ingredients, stirring until blended.
• Drain pear slices, reserving liquid.
• Arrange one-third of pear slices in piecrust, and sprinkle with one-third of flour mixture.
• Repeat layers twice, and drizzle with reserved pear liquid.
• Combine remaining 1/2 cup flour and remaining 1/2 cup sugar; cut in 1/4 cup butter with a pastry blender until crumbly.
• Stir in pecans; sprinkle over pie.
• Bake at 450* for 10 minutes; reduce temperature to 350*, and bake 45 more minutes or until golden.
• Cool pie on a wire rack.
• Yield: 1 9-inch pie.

PEAR STREUSEL PIE

Steps:

• Combine pear slices, sugar, lemon juice, butter, salt and mace in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 8 minutes.
• Lift pears out with a slotted spoon and place in pie shell.
• In a small bowl mix cornstarch and water until smooth. Add to mixture in saucepan. Cook, stirring until thick.
• Pour mixture over pears and place pie on a baking sheet. Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
• Mix strusel topping with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle on top of pie and bake an additional 10 minutes until lightly browned.