The Ultimate Homemade Fresh Pear Pie with Flaky All-Butter Crust
There’s truly nothing more comforting and satisfying than a warm, homemade pie, fresh from the oven, filling your home with its inviting aroma. This Fresh Pear Pie, nestled within a delicate, flaky all-butter pastry crust, embodies that exact sentiment. It’s the quintessential cozy winter dessert, perfect for bringing warmth and joy to any occasion.
This Fresh Pear Pie is more than just a dessert; it’s a celebration of seasonal flavors, perfect for your holiday table, a lively dinner party, or simply a comforting treat enjoyed with loved ones. Imagine the sweet, tender pears, infused with warm spices, all cradled within a buttery, cinnamon-scented shortcrust pastry. It’s truly a slice of heaven, reminiscent of our popular Pear Frangipane Tartlets but with that classic, rustic pie charm.
Why You’ll Love This Homemade Pear Pie
There are countless reasons to fall in love with this pear pie recipe. First, its exquisite flavor profile combines the natural sweetness and delicate texture of fresh pears with a harmonious blend of warm spices. Each bite offers a comforting taste that evokes cozy winter evenings and festive gatherings. Second, the homemade all-butter pastry crust is a game-changer. It’s incredibly flaky, rich, and provides the perfect contrast to the soft fruit filling, making every mouthful a delightful experience.
Beyond taste, this pie is wonderfully versatile. It makes an impressive centerpiece for any special occasion, yet it’s simple enough to enjoy as an everyday treat. Plus, the process of making it from scratch, from rolling out the dough to watching it bake to a golden perfection, is incredibly rewarding. It’s a dessert that not only tastes amazing but also creates beautiful memories in the kitchen and around the dining table.
Essential Ingredients for Your Pear Pie
Crafting this delicious pie involves two main stages: first, preparing the exquisite Shortcrust Pastry (also known as Pâte Sablée), and then assembling the flavorful Pie Filling. While store-bought pastry is an option for convenience, I highly recommend making your own. It allows you to control the quality of ingredients and achieve that perfect, melt-in-your-mouth texture that sets homemade pies apart. This recipe is designed for a standard 9-inch / 22 cm Pie Pan.
Ingredients for the All-Butter Pie Pastry:
- Plain Flour: The base for our flaky crust.
- Powdered Sugar (Icing Sugar): Adds a subtle sweetness to the pastry, balancing the rich butter.
- Salt: Essential for enhancing all the flavors in the crust.
- Cinnamon Powder: (Optional) A touch of cinnamon in the crust beautifully complements the pear filling.
- Unsalted Butter: Crucial for that rich, tender, and flaky texture. Ensure it’s cold but workable.
- Egg: Acts as a binding agent, contributing to the pastry’s tender consistency.
- Cold Water: (If required) Helps bring the dough together without making it tough.
Ingredients for the Spiced Pear Filling:
- Fresh Pears: The star of our pie! Choose firm, ripe pears that hold their shape when baked (more on this below).
- Brown Sugar: Adds a deep, caramelized sweetness that pairs wonderfully with pears and spices.
- Cornstarch: A key thickening agent to ensure the fruit juices set beautifully, preventing a watery pie.
- Lemon Juice: Brightens the flavors and prevents the pears from browning.
- Almond Meal (Almond Flour): (Optional) Adds a subtle nutty flavor and helps absorb excess moisture, contributing to a perfectly set filling.
- Spice Mix: A blend of warm spices like Cinnamon, Ginger, Star Anise, and Nutmeg creates a fragrant and inviting aroma. Feel free to adjust to your preference!
Crafting the Perfect All-Butter Shortcrust Pastry
While convenience often tempts us towards pre-made pastry, there’s a unique satisfaction and superior flavor that comes from a homemade crust. Making your own “Pâte Sablée” for this pear pie allows you to control the sugar content, ensuring it perfectly complements the sweetness of the fruit filling without being overly cloying. Unlike a “Pâte Sucrée,” this pastry incorporates an egg, contributing to a tender, less crumbly texture that’s still wonderfully flaky.
You can prepare this versatile pastry by hand, using a Pastry Blender, or even in a food processor (check note 1 in the recipe card for food processor instructions). The key to a perfect crust lies in keeping the butter cold and not overworking the dough, which prevents it from becoming tough.
How to Make Shortcrust Pastry by Hand:
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the plain flour, powdered sugar, salt, and optional cinnamon powder. This ensures an even distribution of flavor.
- Incorporate the Butter: Add the cubed, soft but still cold butter to the dry ingredients. Using your fingertips or a pastry blender, rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs or thick sand. It’s crucial not to overmix here; small pieces of butter are what create the flaky layers.
- Add the Egg: Pour in the lightly beaten egg and gently work it into the butter-flour mixture. Continue mixing until the dough just starts to come together.
- Adjust with Water: If the pastry appears too dry and isn’t forming a cohesive ball, add cold water a tablespoon at a time, mixing until it just comes together. The goal is to achieve a dough that is pliable and doesn’t crumble easily.
- Chill the Dough: Form the dough into a disc, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, ideally an hour. This chilling period is vital as it allows the gluten to relax and the butter to firm up, preventing the crust from shrinking excessively during baking.
Assembling the Aromatic Pear Pie Filling
Preparing the filling for this pear pie is arguably the simplest and most enjoyable part of the recipe. The fresh pears combined with fragrant spices create an irresistible aroma even before baking. Here’s how to quickly put it together:
- Prepare the Pears: Begin by peeling and coring your chosen pears. Then, cut them into small, uniform cubes. Uniform pieces ensure even cooking and a consistent texture throughout the pie.
- Mix the Flavors: In a large bowl, gently toss the cubed pears with fresh lemon juice (which prevents browning and adds a zesty note), rich brown sugar, cornstarch (to thicken those beautiful pear juices), and the optional almond meal.
- Add the Spices: Finally, incorporate your preferred blend of warming spices. I love a mix of cinnamon, ginger, star anise, and nutmeg for a truly fragrant filling that complements the pears perfectly. Ensure all the fruit pieces are evenly coated for a consistent flavor in every bite.
Once your pastry is chilled and your filling is prepared, you’re ready to assemble your masterpiece and anticipate the comforting aroma that will soon fill your kitchen!
Recipe Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Selecting the right pear variety is crucial for a successful pie. You want a pear that will soften beautifully during baking but still retain its shape, rather than turning into mush. Look for varieties that are sweet but have a slight crispness to them, to prevent an overly sweet pie. My personal preference for this recipe is Green Bartletts Pears, known for their classic pear flavor and good texture. However, several other excellent options include Red Bartletts Pears, Red or Green Anjou Pears (which are juicy and firm), Bosc Pears (known for their firm, slightly crunchy texture that holds up well), and Concorde Pears or Forelle Pears, which also offer great flavor and texture for baking. Experiment to find your favorite!
The need for refrigeration depends largely on the ambient temperature of your kitchen. If your kitchen is cool, you can generally leave the pie out, tightly covered, for a few hours. However, for longer storage or if your kitchen is warm, it’s always safer to refrigerate it. Ensure the pie is completely cooled to room temperature before covering it with foil or plastic wrap and placing it in the fridge. This prevents condensation which can make the crust soggy. For optimal taste and texture, it’s best to consume the pie within 48 hours of baking. To enjoy it warm again, cover with aluminum foil and reheat in a preheated oven at a moderate temperature (around 300°F/150°C) for 5 to 10 minutes until warmed through.
Yes, you absolutely can freeze pear pie, though it’s always best enjoyed fresh. If you plan to freeze an entire pie, it’s recommended to do so un-baked. Simply assemble the pie in its pan, wrap it tightly first with plastic wrap, then with aluminum foil, and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to bake, place the frozen pie directly into a preheated oven and bake as usual, adding an extra 10 to 15 minutes to the baking time to account for thawing. If you only want to freeze individual slices, bake the pie first and let it cool completely. Slice it, then wrap each slice individually in aluminum foil. These can be kept in the freezer for up to 4 months. To serve, thaw slices at room temperature or gently reheat in a low-temperature oven for about 10 minutes. For more detailed tips on pie storage and freezing, you can refer to resources like BettyCrocker.com.
Baking Tips for a Perfect Pear Pie
Achieving a bakery-worthy pear pie at home is easier than you think with a few key tips:
- Cold Ingredients for Crust: Always use very cold butter and water for your pastry. This ensures the butter melts slowly in the oven, creating steam that separates the flour layers, resulting in a super flaky crust.
- Don’t Overwork the Dough: Handle the pastry as little as possible. Overworking develops gluten, leading to a tough crust. Mix just until the dough comes together.
- Chill, Chill, Chill: Don’t skip the chilling steps for the dough. It firms up the butter, relaxes the gluten, and prevents shrinkage during baking.
- Prevent a Soggy Bottom: Prick the bottom crust with a fork before adding the filling. This allows steam to escape, preventing a soggy base. The almond meal in the filling also helps absorb excess moisture.
- Ventilation is Key: Whether you opt for a lattice top or a full crust, ensure there are vents for steam to escape from the filling. This prevents the pie from bursting and allows the fruit to cook evenly.
- Golden Brown is the Goal: Bake until the crust is deeply golden brown. A pale crust indicates it might not be fully cooked or as flaky as it could be. If the edges brown too quickly, cover them with foil.
- Cool Completely (Almost): While tempting to slice into a piping hot pie, allowing it to cool for at least 15-30 minutes (or even longer) before serving lets the filling set properly, preventing it from running out when sliced.
Serving Your Delicious Pear Pie
This Fresh Pear Pie is undeniably delicious on its own, but you can elevate the experience with a few simple accompaniments. Serve it warm with a scoop of creamy vanilla bean ice cream that slowly melts into the spiced pear filling. A dollop of freshly whipped cream adds a luxurious touch, contrasting beautifully with the warm pie. For a more sophisticated pairing, consider a drizzle of caramel sauce or a sprinkle of toasted pecans. However you choose to serve it, this pear pie is sure to be a delightful end to any meal.
Discover More Tarts & Pies Recipes
If you loved this Fresh Pear Pie, you’ll surely enjoy exploring our other delectable tart and pie recipes:
- Spiced Pears Tarte Tatin
- White Peach Frangipane Tart
- Chocolate Cherry Tart
- Apricot Tarte Tatin
- Easy French Apple Tart
- Triple Chocolate Tart
- Puff Pastry Apple Tartlets
- Rhubarb Custard Tart
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Recipe Card
Fresh Pear Pie
Print Recipe
Equipment
- 9” / 22cm Pie Pan
- Pastry Blender or Food Processor – Optional
Ingredients
Cinnamon Shortcrust Pastry (Pate Sablée)
- 1 1/3 cup (200 gr) Plain Flour
- 2 1/2 tbsp (20gr) Powdered Sugar, or icing sugar
- 1/2 teasp. Cinnamon Powder
- 1 pinch Table Salt
- 1/3 cup (3 oz or 80gr) Soft Butter
- 1 Egg
- 2 tbsp (30ml) Cold Water (if needed)
Fresh Pear Filling
- 5 Large Pears, You can also do half pears, half apples
- 2 tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1 1/2 teasp. Cinnamon Powder
- 1/2 teasp. Star Anise Powder
- 1/2 teasp. Ground Ginger Powder
- 1/2 teasp. Nutmeg Powder
- 1/2 Lemon, Juiced , (about 2 tbsp / 30 ml)
- 2 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1 tbsp Almond Meal, optional
Egg Wash (optional)
- 1 Egg
- 1 tbsp Milk
Instructions
Cinnamon Shortcrust Pastry
- Place the Plain Flour, Salt, Powdered Sugar and Cinnamon Powder in a large bowl.
- Add the cubed Soft Butter, and use your fingers to mix it in the dry ingredients. The butter should be homogenuously combined with the Flour and look like crumbs or thick sand (see note 1 about making this pastry in the food processor).
You can also use a Pastry Blender to cut to butter in.
- Add the Beaten Egg and mix it in, trying not to overwork the pastry. If the pastry looks dry, add the Cold Water.
- Transfer the pastry onto a lightly floured surface and bring it in together into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and gently press on it to flatten the ball. Place in the fridge to rest for at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour.
The pastry should stick and come together quite easily at this point. If it looks still crumbly, knead in a little bit more water before transfering into the fridge.
Fresh Pear Filling
- Peal and Core the Pears, then cut them into small cubes. Place them in a large bowl.
- Add the Lemon Juice, then the Brown Sugar, Cornstarch and Almond Meal. Genty toss the pears to mix, then add the Spices (see note 2). Mix with a wooden spoon or spatula to evenly cover the fruits with all the spices. Set Aside.
Putting the Pie together
- Preheat your oven on 180’C / 350’F.
- When the Pastry is cold and hard, take it out of the fridge and place on a lightly floured surface. Cut it in two pieces, about 1/3 and 2/3 of the pastry.
- Start with the largest piece: using a rolling pin, roll the pastry into a large round – larger than your pie pan. Roll it as thinly as possible without breaking it, then gently place into your 9inch / 22 cm pie pan. The pastry should go over the edges of the pan for now. Set aside.
- With the smaller piece of pastry, make the “lid” of the pie. I rolled the pastry thinly then cut it into thin strips to create a lattice effect but you can make any design you want or simply cover to pie completely. Set them aside.
- Prick the pastry at the bottom of the pie pan with a fork, then pour in the Spiced Pear Filling.
- Place your pastry strips over the pie filling to make a lattice (or your choice of design). Finally, fold in the pastry that should still be going over the top of the pan to cover the edges of the lattice. Use a fork to gently press and seal the edges.
- Optional: in a small bowl, whisk the egg and milk then brush it over the pastry for a golden finish.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown. Leave to cool down for 15 minutes at least before cutting.
- Serve warm on its own, or with Vanilla Ice Cream / Whipped Cream.
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Notes
- To make Shortcrust Pastry in a Food Processor:
– Place the dry ingredients in the bowl of your food processor (Flour, Salt, Powdered Sugar an Cinnamon)
– Add the Cold Butter cut in small cubes and pulse to cut it in the dry ingredients.
– Add the Egg and keep pulsing until the pastry starts to come together. If still very dry, add the water and keep mixing it.
– Transfer onto a lightly floured surface and keep following the instructions above. - You can pick your favourite spices to make this pie – the ones here are the spices I used, but you can also replace them with an All-Spice Mix or your mix of favourite spices.
Nutrition (per serving)