Kieffer pears are making an appearance at the market this time of year. These pears are not the same as what you may be used to from the grocery store. Typically, they don’t ripen as fast, tend to be larger than bartletts or anjous,  make wonderful preserves and jams, and are fantastic to bake with.

Recipe adapted from Fast Food My Way by Jacques Pepin

2 lbs kieffer pears 
3/4 cup diced dried apricots
1/2 cup pecan pieces
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup grapefruit juice
1/3 cup sugar

For the crumble topping:

3/4 cup all-purpose flour (can substitute gluten free)
1 tsp baking powder
1/3 cup sugar
8 Tbsps (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp

Mix the pears, apricots, pecans, cinnamon, juice, and sugar in a large bowl.

For the topping: Combine the ingredients in a small bowl, working them with your fingers or a fork until crumbly and mixed well.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Spoon the pear mixture into a 6-cup glass baking dish and sprinkle the crumble mixture on top. Place the dish on a cookie sheet and bake for about 30 minutes, or until the pears are tender when pierced with the point of a knife and the topping is brown and crusty. Serve warm with sour cream, whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream.