FIVE-SPICE PEAR-APPLE PIE

Five-Spice Pear-Apple Pie image

Provided by ratherbeswimmin

Categories Dessert

Time 1h30m

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 14

1 (9 inch) unbaked pie shells, refrigerated
3 1/2 cups peeled cored, and sliced Granny Smith apples (also may use Cortland or Northern Spy)
3 1/2 cups cored sliced ripe pears (peeled or unpeeled)
1 grated lemon, zest of
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons orange juice
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons Chinese five spice powder
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup fine yellow cornmeal
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

Steps:

In a large mixing bowl, combine the apples, pears, lemon zest, lemon juice, orange juice, and 1/2 cup sugar; set aside for 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, and five-spice powder; stir mixture into the fruit.
Transfer filling to the chilled pie shell; smooth filling with you hands to even it out.
Place the pie on the center oven rack of a 400° oven; bake for 30 minutes.
To make the topping: put the flour, cornmeal, brown sugar, and salt in the container of a food processor; pulse several times to mix.
Scatter the butter over the mixture; pulse until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
Empty crumbs into a bowl and rub them between your fingers to make large, buttery crumbs; refrigerate until ready to use.
Take pie out of oven and lower oven temperature to 375°.
Distribute crumbs evenly over top of pie; tamp them down lightly.
Return pie to oven (rotate pie so that the part that faced the back of the oven now faces the front); place a foil-lined baking sheet onto the rack below to catch any spills.
Bake for 30 minutes or until the juices bubble thickly around the edge.
Transfer pie to a wire rack and let cool at least 1 hour before serving.