Apple, Cranberry, Pear, and Gingersnap Crumble

 
Apple, Cranberry, Pear, and Gingersnap Crumble is a winning combination!

Cook's notes: Anjou and Bartlett pears are the best for baking because they remain firm and smooth when cooked. When choosing pears for baking, select those that are firm but not rock hard, have a good fragrance, and are smooth and unblemished with stems still attached. Autumn is the best season for Anjou and Bartlett pears. The recipe was adapted from smittenkitchen.com

Ingredients: Crumble

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1 cup gingersnap crumbs about 16 cookies
• 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice mix
• 1 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon or 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 5 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled

Ingredients: Filling

• 3-4 large ripe pears (I used Anjou, suggested in the original recipe) peeled, halved, cored, and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 3 Granny Smith apples. peeled and cut into small chunks
• 1- 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 350°degrees.
• Use a food processor to crumble cookies, then proceed with the crumble part of the recipe.
• Stir together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, gingersnap crumbs, spice mix cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the melted butter until large crumbs form.
• Place crumb mixture in the freezer while cutting up apples and pears for about 20 minutes.
• In a 2-quart baking dish or a 9 x 9 glass baking dish, mix the pears, cranberries, apples, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk the sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch together then toss it with the fruit mixture in the pan.
• Sprinkle the gingersnap crumble over the fruit. Set the crumble dish on a foil-lined baking sheet.
• Bake the crumble for about 45 minutes or until it is a shade darker and you see juices bubbling through the crumbs.