a lifestyle blog about motherhood, intention, whimsical moments, and wellness
//PEAR AND CRANBERRY CRUMBLE
Mary Beth Johnson is a photographer, blogger, and journalist with a passion for finding beauty in unexpected places and celebrating the everyday. Originally from the east coast, she now lives in Oklahoma with her husband and three children (dubbed “schooners”). From an office full of fingerprints and walls scattered with imperfect artwork, she’s writing her first book, a memoir of her parents’ journey in raising 14 children, and her own lifestyle blog, Annapolis & Company.
I’ve always been a fruit crisp kind of girl. When I was little, my mom signed me up for an apple baking contest in our small town. Although I grew up in a large family (14 children, to be exact) my mom was no cook. Somehow she must’ve noticed how much I liked it because she was always encouraging me to learn about hospitality and nutrition and took me up to the library to print off recipes from (gasp!) the internet. Funny how so much has changed since then, and yet. So much hasn’t.
I remember digging out an old cookbook pamphlet in the back of our cupboard to search for the perfect recipe for the contest. And what did I choose? An apple crisp. I made it for the first time on the day of that little competition and won first place and $100.
I was so embarrassed to walk up to the front and collect my prize that I think I made my dad go get it for me. 🙂
Like I said, not much has changed.
All these years later and my go-to dessert of choice is still a fruity crisp. In the past, I’ve made them in the summer, but this. This pear and cranberry combination is just the thing for cooler weather. It wasn’t in the back of the cupboard (because all these years later I have internet at my house and I don’t have to go up to the library to do my searching) but it is just as traditional and crispy and full of fruity goodness…with more of an autumn feel to it.
My grocery stores were not carrying fresh cranberries when I made this, so I used dried, but if yours do, please please use fresh. There is nothing better in this world then pretty red cranberries. Except for maybe this crisp.
//PEAR AND CRANBERRY CRUMBLE
{makes 1 8×8-inch dish}
For the Filling:
4 ripe but still firm pears
1 heaping cup fresh cranberries (they weren’t in season yet when I made this, so I used dried)
3 tablespoons raw sugar (granulated or brown sugar will also work)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
a couple drops young living lemon essential oil
For the Topping:
1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup raw sugar (just use more brown sugar if you don’t have raw)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup oats
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature and cut into cubes
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Take out an 8×8-inch baking dish and set aside.
First prepare the filling. Cut the top stem and bottom butt off of each pear. The bottom will give you a stable base to peel the pears. Use a small paring knife to peel the pears. Slice each pear in half. Use a small teaspoon to gently run down the length of the inside of the pear, removing the fiberous inside spine, and then scooping out the seeds. Dice the pears into hearty bite-size chunks and place in baking dish. Pour cranberries into dish. Top with sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Toss lightly and set aside.
Next prepare the topping. Whisk together flour, brown sugar, raw sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and oats. Add unsalted butter and incorporate with your fingers. Work the butter into the topping mixture until it is well incorporated and some butter bits are still the size of oat flakes or small peas. Add about 1/3 of the topping mixture to the pear and cranberry mixture. Toss to incorporate. Place the remaining topping on top of the mixture.
Bake for 40-45 minutes, until bubbly and delicious smelling.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 20 minutes before serving. This dish is perfect served warm with vanilla ice cream.
Crumble lasts for up to 3 days, covered, in the fridge.
*** Any suggestions made on this blog are very specific to Young Living essential oils and should not be used with oils from another source. Statements made on this website about Young Living Essential Oils have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products and information are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Anyone suffering from disease or injury should consult with a physician. If you are currently on medication, please DO NOT STOP. This is just how I make & do things. you must make informed decisions for yourself and your own family.
“We are starting our journey with Essential Oils and have done our own research on the purity of oils. I am confident in using oils in our recipes because we only use Young Living. They are beyond organic and never use pesticides, herbicides or any harmful chemicals. Their soil has never been exposed to them as well. I don’t suggest ever using any other oil for ingestion because I don’t know of their purity. “
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