This fall I was able to meet  Alex Hitz’ at my favorite luncheon: Kappa Tablescapes.  I told you about this great event here.  It is amazing to me to meet so many chefs and cooks that have food allergies as well.  His recipes are Class Southern with a French twist.  This recipe is from his cookbook My Beverly Hills Kitchen and is a crowd pleaser.

I served this at a holiday party recently.  It can easily be made ahead of time which is great for the holiday season.

Alex Hitz' Apple Pear Crumble

 

Print

Prep Time: 20 minutes Bake Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• • Apple-Pear Filling
• • 6 tbs salted butter
• • 2 lbs apples, corded, peeled and sliced (I didn't peel because I like the peel)
• • 1 lb pears, cored, peeled, sliced (same as above)
• • 1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
• • ¾ c sugar
• • ¾ tsp salt
• • ½ c Calvados (Apple liquor)
• • ½ tsp cinnamon
• • ½ tsp ntumeg
• • ½ tsp allspice
• • 2 tsp lemon juice
• • 3 tbs flour (I used Cup4Cup Gluten Free Flour)
• • Crumb Crust
• • ¼ c dark brown sugar, firmly, packed
• • ¾ c sugar
• • 2¼ c flour (I used Cup4Cup Gluten Free Flour)
• • ¾ c rolled oats (I used Bob's Red Mill gluten free oats)
• • 1 tsp salt
• • 2 tbs vanilla extract
• • 22 tablespoons cold salted butter

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Butter a 13 x 9 x 2-inch ceramic or glass baking dish.
3. Peel and core the fruit.
4. In a large heavy skillet over med-high heat, melt the butter.
5. When the foaming has subsided, add the apples and the pears and sauté them for 2 to 3 minutes, until soft.
6. Add the dark brown sugar, sugar, salt, Calvados, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and lemon juice and sauté for 8-10 more minutes until sauce is a rich caramel color and fruit is soft.
7. Add the flour and stir thoroughly and sauté for 2 minutes and remove from heat.
8. To make the crumb crust, in a large mixing bowl combine the dark brown sugar, sugar, flour, rolled oats and salt and whisk them together until blended.
9. Add vanilla and mix well.
10. Cut the butter in to the dry mixture with a pastry cutter until coarse crumbs form.
11. Pour the apple-pear mixture into the baking dish and generously spread the crumbs on top.
12. Bake for 30 minutes, until the crust in brown and sauce bubbling.
13. Remove from oven and serve warm with ice cream.

3.2.2885

Combine apples, pears sugars and spices.

Add the Calvados Apple Liquor while simmering the fruits.

Use a pastry blender or ford to make the crumble “crust.”

Layer in a dish and refrigerate until you bake.

It’s a divine breakfast for the hostess….if there is a single bite left.