Maple-Pecan Einkorn Pear Crisp

Pears deserve a place beside apples in the autumn kitchen. Their honeyed flavor pairs naturally with einkorn’s mellow nuttiness, while maple and pecans make the crisp topping taste properly seasonal without becoming fussy.

Ingredients

Pear filling

• 1,100 g ripe but firm pears (about 6 medium), peeled, cored, and sliced
• 25 g lemon juice
• 55 g pure maple syrup
• 18 g cornstarch
• 5 g vanilla extract
• 2 g ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground ginger
• 2 g fine salt

Einkorn-pecan topping

• 180 g fresh-milled einkorn flour
• 100 g old-fashioned rolled oats
• 110 g pecans, roughly chopped
• 90 g dark brown sugar
• 2 g ground cinnamon
• 2 g fine salt
• 140 g cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 35 g pure maple syrup

Method

1. Heat oven to 375°F (190°C). Butter a 9 × 13-inch or 3-quart baking dish.
2. Combine einkorn flour, oats, pecans, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in cold butter with fingertips or a pastry blender until coarse clumps form. Drizzle with maple syrup, toss lightly, and refrigerate 10 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, toss pears with lemon juice, maple syrup, cornstarch, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.
4. Spread pear mixture evenly in the baking dish. Scatter the chilled topping over the fruit without pressing it down.
5. Bake 40–45 minutes, until the edges bubble steadily and the topping is deep golden. If the top browns early, tent loosely with foil.
6. Rest at least 20 minutes before serving so the juices thicken. Serve warm, plain or with vanilla ice cream.

Make it well

Cover and refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat uncovered at 325°F for 15–20 minutes to restore the crisp topping. The unbaked topping can be frozen separately for up to 2 months.

More ancient-grain recipes

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