Pear Crumb Pie, Pear Cordial, & Vanilla Extract

Go out on a limb. That's where the fruit is.
         -Will Rogers

 

It's pear season and my friend Katherine generously allowed me to pick a big basket full from the trees in her yard. I grew up with a pear tree in my yard in Alabama and my mom would bake the best pear bread and pear pies. Feeling nostalgic for those things,  I decided to use some of the pears to make a pear crumb pie. The recipe comes from a cookbook that I love and have mentioned in previous posts called Farmstead Chef. The authors lament that the pear is often regarded as the ugly stepsister of the pie world. It rarely tops any pie flavor lists or wins any contests, but it's a shame since they bake so nicely with a more complex flavor and texture than their more often favored fall counterpart, the apple.

Pear Crumb Pie:

For the crust-

1 1/2 C flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 C butter (1 stick)

4-5 Tbsp cold water

I mixed organic all-purpose flour from Nitty Gritty Grain Company with the salt. Next, the recipe suggests cutting in the cold butter with a pastry blender, but since I don't have one of those, I cut it in the way I always do- with kitchen shears. I cut it into the flour in tiny bits, then use my fingers to massage it in until well incorporated and the butter pieces are pea-sized. Next, pull all but a quarter of the butter flour mixture to one side of your bowl and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the water over the small portion of butter and flour. Toss lightly with a fork. Then, pull another quarter of the flour mix to that side, repeat with another tablespoon of water, toss again with the fork, and continue to repeat until you have put in all of the water and incorporated it all gently with the fork. Lightly flour your work surface and gather the dough into a ball. Place the ball of dough on the floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll it, using gentle strokes from the center out, until it is about 1/8 inch thick. If edges split, pinch them back together. Transfer the pastry carefully to 9 inch pie plate then trim around the edges and crimp them with a fork.

For the filling-

1/2 C brown sugar, firmly packed
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
6 C pears, peeled and thinly sliced
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Combine all filling ingredients and pour into the pie crust. Bake at 400 Fahrenheit for 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the crumb topping.

For the crumb topping-

2/3 C flour
1/3 C brown sugar, firmly packed
1/3 C butter

Combine the flour and brown sugar, then cut in the butter using the same method you did for the crust. When the pie has been baking 20 minutes, remove it from the oven, pour the topping on, and return it to the oven for another 40 minutes until golden and bubbly.

With the remaining pears, I decided to try another recipe from Farmstead Chef to make a batch of pear cordial. A cordial is a sweet alcoholic beverage made by infusing alcohol with a fruit, nut, herb, or flower. Cordials are quick and simple to make, but do take several weeks in a cool, dark place to allow the alcohol to infuse. I intend to use this batch for holiday gifts, so I'm preparing them now and giving them plenty of time for the flavors to develop and intensify.

Pear Cordial:

3 C sugar
2 C water
6 C pears, peeled and thinly sliced
1 Tbsp lemon zest
2 1/2 C vodka

Boil sugar and water over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. When the mixture is clear, remove from heat and let stand until just warm.

Place the pears and lemon zest in a sterilized gallon-sized glass jar with a

tight-fitting lid. Pour syrup over the pears, then add the vodka. Stir, then let stand in a cool, dark place for 2 weeks.

When two weeks have passed, use a fine mesh strainer to remove the solids. Transfer the strained cordial to another sterilized glass jar, cover, and let sit at least another 3 weeks. The final step is to strain it through a cheesecloth to remove any sediment and pour it into the sterilized final bottles.

Pear cordial can be sipped warm or over ice. It is also great mixed with seltzer and topped with a fresh grate of ginger, or it can be used to spice up your favorite winter cocktail. Another fun idea is to use it in a recipe. I can imagine it making a delicious twist on tiramisu, as the soak for the lady fingers in lieu of espresso. Or, add a dash to your favorite pear bread or cake recipe. Get creative with it and you'll come up with something great.

With holiday gifts in mind and some vodka left from the pear cordial project, I decided to make homemade vanilla extract. Vanilla beans are expensive, but pure vanilla extract is even more expensive, so you still save by making your own. Like the cordial, it takes time for the flavors to be extracted and develop, so prepare accordingly.

Vanilla Extract:

4 C Vodka
4 whole vanilla beans

Slice a vertical slit in each vanilla bean with the tip of a sharp knife. Place them in a clean glass jar with a lid, cover with vodka, close tightly, and allow to sit in a cool, dark place for 2-3 months. Strain through a cheesecloth and transfer to several smaller sterile glass jars.

As the quote at the start of this post suggests, sometimes the fruits of life require a little extra effort. When someone kindly invites you to come pick fresh fruit or veggies from their yard, take them up on it and make something delicious. When you can make or grow something yourself rather than purchasing it ready-made, jump at the chance. Your version will likely be more delicious and less expensive. Cooking good, healthy food from scratch and with seasonal ingredients takes more time and effort than cooking from a box or a can, but I firmly believe it's worth every second. It is tastier, healthier, and more affordable. Plus, I learn a lot in the process, I get to know exactly what is in it, and I experience the satisfaction that comes from preparing it with my own two hands. In the fast paced world we occupy, having time to prepare our own food can sometimes feel like a luxury we can't afford, but I think it is important to carve out a little time for it. I try to think of it as an investment in my health and an investment in building a better food system around me.