Published September 1, 2007.
Taking into account how differently pears react with apples when baked into a crisp, we chose firm Bartletts for our pear crisp recipe and avoided a watery outcome by tossing them with cornstarch and lemon juice. We needed a sturdier topping for our pear crisp recipe, so we chose a streusel, made by incorporating melted butter into the flour, which kept its crunchiness during baking.
The test kitchen prefers a crisp made with Bartlett pears, but Bosc pears can also be used. The pears should be ripe but firm, which means the flesh at the base of the stem should give slightly when gently pressed with a finger. Bartlett pears will turn from green to greenish-yellow when ripe. Although almost any unsalted nut may be used in the topping, we prefer almonds or pecans. Serve the crisp with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
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