Pear Pie with Streusel Topping and Caramel Sauce

Bartlett or Anjou pears work best in this pie. Be sure to purchase firm, slightly under-ripe fruit for this pie since the pears soften and give off juice as they cook.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 wedge pie and about 1 1/2 teaspoons sauce)

Ingredients

• Pie:
• 3  ounces  all-purpose flour, divided (about 2/3 cup)
• 1/2  cup  granulated sugar
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 1/8  teaspoon  salt
• 3  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
• 6  medium firm pears, peeled, cored, and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick wedges
• 1/2  (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury)
• Cooking spray
• 1/3  cup  packed brown sugar
• 3  tablespoons  chilled butter, cut into small pieces
• 
  Sauce:
• 1/3  cup  packed brown sugar
• 3  tablespoons  heavy whipping cream
• 2  tablespoons  butter, softened
• 2  teaspoons  water

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. To prepare pie, weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 1 1/2 ounces (about 1/3 cup) flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Add juice and pears to flour mixture; toss gently to coat. Roll dough into an 11-inch circle; fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Fold edges under and flute. Arrange pear mixture in an even layer in prepared crust.

3. Combine remaining 1 1/2 ounces (about 1/3 cup) flour and 1/3 cup brown sugar in a bowl. Add 3 tablespoons cold butter to brown sugar mixture; cut in with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle butter mixture evenly over pears. Bake at 375° for 1 hour or until lightly browned. Let cool on a wire rack 10 minutes.

4. To prepare sauce, combine 1/3 cup brown sugar, cream, and 2 tablespoons softened butter in a small, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in 2 teaspoons water. Serve at room temperature or slightly warmed with pie.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

287 (35% from fat)

Fat:

11g (sat 5.5g,mono 1.7g,poly 0.3g)

Protein:

1.5g

Carbohydrate:

47.5g

Fiber:

2.8g

Cholesterol:

20mg

Iron:

0.7mg

Sodium:

139mg

Calcium:

24mg