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Butterscotch Pear Pie

A slice of butterscotch pear pie.
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A flaky double-crust pie filled with vanilla pears and silky homemade butterscotch sauce. 

Ingredients

For Butterscotch Sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons (26 grams) unsalted butter
  • ½ cup packed (100 grams) dark brown sugar
  • ½ cup (115 grams) heavy cream
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

For Pear Pie:

  • 2-9” butter pie crusts
  • 4 lbs. (about 8-9) firm/ripe pears (see note)
  • 1 granny smith apple, peeled and grated
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice (about half a lemon)
  • 3 tablespoons (21 grams) cornstarch
  • ¼ cup packed (50 grams) dark brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • Egg wash

Instructions

  1. Prepare the butter pie pastry, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
  2. Make the butterscotch: Add the butter to a medium pot and turn on the heat to medium. Once the butter starts to melt, add in brown sugar. Using a spatula, stir the sugar mixture and cook until the edges of the sugar start to bubble up. Carefully and slowly, whisk in the heavy cream, about ¼ cup at a time. Continue until all of the cream is mixed in. Continue to cook the butterscotch over medium heat, watching carefully to ensure it doesn’t boil over, for 3 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Transfer the butterscotch to a shallow container to let it rapidly cool for at least 15 minutes.
  3. Preheat the oven to 425ºF and place a baking rack in the lower part of the oven.
  4. On a well-floured surface, roll out 1 pie dough to an 11″ circle. Fit the dough in a 9” pie plate, making sure to press the dough into the sides and the bottom. Roll out the second dough to a 10” circle. Transfer them to the refrigerator to chill while you assemble the filling.
  5. Peel the pears, and slice thinly (making sure to cut out the core). Combine the sliced pears, grated apple, and lemon juice in a large mixing bowl. Add in the cornstarch, brown sugar, salt, and vanilla and mix together. Pour ⅓ of the prepared butterscotch sauce on top, and toss to coat. 
  6. Place the pear pieces inside of the prepared pie crust, taking care to layer the pears together, leaving very little space in between the pear pieces. Pour any remaining juices from the bowl inside of the pie pastry. Placed the rolled dough over the top of the filling, and crimp the edges as desired. Slice a few holes in the pastry to let the steam escape during baking.
  7. Brush an egg wash on top dough. Place the pie on a baking sheet.
  8. Bake on the lower rack, for 20 minutes. Lower the heat to 375ºF and continue to bake until the pie reaches an internal temperature of above 200ºF, with the filling bubbling throughout, about 30-40 more minutes. If the edges are browning too quickly, use a pie shield or aluminum foil to cover them.
  9. Let the pie cool for at least three hours, to let the juices set up.
  10.  Serve with remaining butterscotch sauce.

Notes

Have a question or looking for tips? The text written above the recipe is always a great first place to start! There are always loads of explanations, tips and technical advice shared before the recipe.

The best pears to use in this recipe are:

  • Anjou (red or green)
  • Bartlett
  • Comice

Regardless of what type of pear you buy, make sure to buy pears that are just barely ripe, with no brown blemishes or soft spots on the outside flesh. The pears shouldn't be rock hard, but they also shouldn't be so soft that you can easily press in on their flesh when you squeeze. If the pears are too soft, they'll be too mushy after a bake in the oven.

A granny smith apple is added to give the pie a more rounded flavor, and an extra boost of natural pectin. You won't necessarily taste the apple at all.

Find it online: https://everydaypie.com/butterscotch-pear-pie/