by Diana Rattray
This pear pandowdy is my take on a classic apple pandowdy. Pears stand in for the apples, and it is no less delicious. Warm spices and a splash of vanilla flavor the pear filling perfectly, and the buttery pastry crust is flaky and tender.
A pandowdy is similar to a pie, but with a top crust like a cobbler. There’s much less fuss with the crust—you only need to cut the dough into squares and arrange them on the filling when you’re ready to bake. If all you have on hand is a few pears and a few apples, combine the two fruits in this pandowdy.
The “dowdy” is probably a reference to the desserts unsophisticated or unstructured appearance, but that’s what makes it such an easy dessert to throw together. And it is certainly not dowdy!
Enjoy pear pandowdy with a big scoop of vanilla or butter pecan ice cream or a dollop of freshly whipped cream.
Variations
- Replace half of the pears with sliced apples.
- Add a handful of blueberries or raspberries to the pears for extra flavor and color.
- For pumpkin spice lovers, replace the cinnamon and nutmeg with 1 1/2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.
How to Store Pear Pandowdy
- Pear pandowdy is fine covered and kept at room temperature overnight, but it will stay fresh longer if stored in the refrigerator. Transfer the pear pandowdy to an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to 4 days.
- To freeze pear pandowdy, transfer it to an airtight container (or several if freezing individual slices). Label the container with the name and date and freeze the pandowdy for up to 3 months. Defrost the pandowdy in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight.
- To warm the cold pear pandowdy, put it in a baking dish, tent with foil, and place it in a preheated 350 F oven for about 10 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to heat for 10 to 15 minutes longer, until hot.
Pear Pandowdy
This pear pandowdy has the same ingredients as a pear pie, but it’s much easier to prepare and assemble. This recipe is a great way to enjoy fresh autumn pears!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Desserts, Pears
Ingredients
For the Pandowdy Crust
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons butter (5 ounces)
- 3 tablespoons ice water
For the Pear Filling
- 6 large pears, such as Bosc or Anjou
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch nutmeg
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 egg white
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 to 3 teaspoons demerara or sanding sugar, optional
Instructions
For the Crust:
- Combine 1 cup of flour, the granulated sugar, baking powder, salt in a food processor. Pulse to blend the dry ingredients. Cut 10 tablespoons of cold butter into small pieces and scatter them over the flour mixture. Pulse until the mixture resembles pea-size crumbs. Drizzle the ice water into the food processor while pulsing. When the dough begins to clump together, dump it out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead a few times to form a cohesive dough. Shape it into a flattened disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll the disc out into a large square about 1/4-inch in thickness. Use a knife, pizza cutter, or fluted pastry wheel to cut the pastry into squares or other shapes. Arrange the dough pieces on the lined baking sheet and place the pan in the freezer.
For the Pear Filling:
- Peel the pears and slice them in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon or melon baller to scrape out the cores. Slice the pears lengthwise into 1/4-inch wedges and put them in a large bowl. Add the lemon juice and vanilla to the slices and toss to combine.
- In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 3 tablespoons of flour; mix well. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture over the pears and toss to coat.
- Preheat the oven to 375 F.
- Transfer the pears to a 10-inch cast iron skillet or 9-inch square cake pan.
- Remove the dough pieces from the freezer and arrange them over the pear filling, overlapping as needed.
- Whisk the egg white with the water and brush over the dough.
- Sprinkle with demerara or sanding sugar, if desired.
- Bake the pear pandowdy in the preheated oven for about 45 to 55 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the pears are bubbling and tender.
- Serve pandowdy warm or cold with ice cream or freshly whipped cream.
