Autumn Spice Pear Crisp

By Katey501 • September 12, 2011 • 0 Comments

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Author Notes: Growing up outside Philadelphia, every Fall, Sweetzels Spiced Wafers made it onto grocery store shelves and my mom always brought a box home. They are a little -more- than a ginger snap...a little spicier. Despite the fact that I now live in Los Angeles, I still get a box (or two) of those cookies when Fall comes, thanks to mom. You can easily substitute ginger snaps in this recipe. Totally made to top vanilla ice cream, though I could see it atop vanilla pudding too. - Katey501

Makes one 8 x 4 loaf pan

4 Bartlett pears, cut in bite-size pieces
4 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 cup Spiced Wafers crumbs (or ginger snaps)
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinches nutmeg
pinches ginger
1 tablespoon Amaretto liqueur (optional)

Slice pears into bite-size pieces and saute with 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat until slightly softened.
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and coat loaf pan with butter. In food processor or blender, pulverize spiced wafers. About 12-14 2 1/2-inch cookies should get you about a cup of crumbs.
In small bowl, mix cookie crumbs, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and flour. When combined add 2 tablespoons butter and with fingers, mix to make rough and crumbly.
Add almonds and liqueur (if using) to crumb mixture and combine well.
Line bottom of loaf pan with thin layer of crumb mixture, then spoon pears in. Top fruit with remaining crumb mixture and bake for 30 minutes.
Let cool in pan for 10 minutes before spooning over a heaping bowl of ice cream.