Pear, Apple, Cranberry with Gingersnap Crumble

Sweet Melissa from Start Baking and Sweet Melissa' Patisserie in NYC makes a crumble pie with pear, cranberry and a gingersnap crumble on top. This is an adaptation that also adds apple to the mix. This is a very easy and forgiving recipe that you can substitute fruit easily in.

All I can tell you is that my guests would have been happy starting with dessert and moving to the rest of the meal only when the crisp was entirely finished. It's a keeper.

Crumble

1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour

1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar

3 tablespoons (37 grams) packed dark or light brown sugar

1 cup gingersnap crumbs (4 ounces or 113 grams or about 16 storebought cookies)

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon table salt

1/2 cup (4 ounces or 113 grams or 1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Filling

3 large ripe pears, peeled, halved, cored and sliced 1/4 inch thick

2 large apples, peeled, halved, cored and sliced 1/4 inch thick

1 1/2 cups (6 ounces or 170 grams) fresh cranberries

1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar

2 tablespoons (14 grams) cornstarch

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Stir together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, gingersnap crumbs, ginger and salt. Stir in the melted butter until large crumbs form.

In a 1 1/2 to 2 quart baking dish, mix the pears,apples, cranberries, lemon juice, lemon zest and vanilla.

In a small bowl, whisk the sugar and cornstarch together then toss it with the fruit mixture in the pan.

Sprinkle the gingersnap crumble over the fruit. Set the crumble on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes, until the crumble is a shade darker and you see juices bubbling through the crumbs.

Fresh out of the oven..

Spoon out individual servings or I promise you won't have enough for everyone

Serve warm with ice cream.

Notes:

Use fresh and gingery cookies for the crumble.

I used bosc pears for this but anjou would also be good.