Pear Fig Walnut Pie Recipes

DEEP-DISH WINTER FRUIT PIE WITH WALNUT CRUMB

Steps:

• To make the pie pastry, put the flour, sugar, and salt in a bowl, stir to combine, then put the bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes.
• Add the butter to the flour mixture and toss to evenly coat. Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender, a food processor, an electric mixer, or your hands, just until the mixture becomes coarse and crumbly and the butter is the size of peas. Stir the water and lemon juice together, then pour over the dry ingredients and stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened.
• Dump the dough onto a well-floured work surface and press it into a 6-inch disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
• Roll the chilled dough into a 14-inch disk, then line a 9 or 10 by 3-inch springform pan with the rolled-out dough. Patch any holes and trim off any dough that hangs over the edges of the pan. Chill for an additional 30 minutes while you prepare the crumb topping and the fruit filling.
• To make the walnut crumb topping, mix the flour, brown sugar, walnuts, cinnamon, and salt together in a bowl. Stir in the butter, then work it in with your hands until the texture of crumbs. Put the topping in the refrigerator while you make the fruit filling.
• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F.
• To make the fruit filling, remove the stem from each fig, then boil the figs in 1 cup of water for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside until cool enough to handle.
• Slice each fig into 4 to 5 pieces, put them in a large bowl, and add the apples, pears, and cranberries. Separately, rub the sugar and cornstarch together, then add to the fruit and gently toss until evenly coated.
• Transfer the filling to the pie shell and top with the walnut crumb. Bake in the lower third of the oven for 60 to 75 minutes, or until the crumb is golden, the fruit juices are bubbling thickly around the edges, and the fruit is tender when pierced with a wooden skewer. If the crumb is getting too dark, cover it with foil.
• Storage: Covered with a tea towel, the pie will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days. Spooned into a bowl and drizzled with chilled cream, it makes a wonderful breakfast.

PEAR-FIG-WALNUT PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F, with a rack in the lower third. Bring the wine, figs, and star anise to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until the figs are softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the figs to a large bowl. Cook the mixture in the pan over medium-high heat until reduced to a syrup, about 3 minutes; discard the star anise. Pour the syrup over the figs.
• Meanwhile, roll out 1 dough disk on floured parchment to make a 13-inch circle; start with pressure in the center and ease up just before reaching the edges. Drape the dough over the rolling pin; center over a 9-inch glass pie plate, and unroll. Gently push into the plate. Trim to leave a 1/4-inch overhang; refrigerate. Roll out the second disk. Cut out a vent with a cookie cutter, and refrigerate the cutout.
• Add the pears, nuts, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and cornstarch to the figs; stir until well combined. Spoon into the pie plate (pile high in the center). Dot with the butter; lightly brush the rim of the dough with water. Drape the second disk over the pin; center over the filling. Gently press around the filling to fit; trim to leave a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold the edge of the top crust under the bottom one; crimp to seal. Brush water on the bottom of the cutout; press onto the top crust. Beat the yolk with the cream; brush over the crust. Sprinkle with sugar; freeze until very firm, about 30 minutes.
• Bake on a baking sheet until just golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 375°F. Bake, rotating halfway through, until bubbling, and the bottom crust is deep golden brown, about 1 hour. (If the edges brown too quickly, cover with a foil ring.) Let cool on a wire rack.

PEAR, FIG, AND WALNUT PIE

Steps:

• Bring wine, figs, and star anise to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce heat, and simmer until figs are softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer figs to a large bowl. Cook liquid over medium-high heat until reduced to a syrup, about 3 minutes; discard star anise. Pour syrup over figs.
• Meanwhile, on a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 disk of dough to a 13-inch round. Fit into a 9-inch glass pie plate. Trim dough, leaving a 1-inch overhang; refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. Roll out second disk to a 13-inch round. Cut out steam vent in center with a cookie cutter; refrigerate or freeze dough round and cutout until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Peel and core pears; slice into 1/4-inch-thick wedges. Add pears, walnuts, lemon juice, granulated sugar, salt, and cornstarch to figs and syrup; stir until well combined. Spoon into pie plate, piling high in center. Dot with butter; lightly brush edge of dough with water. Drape second disk of dough over pin; center over filling. Gently press around filling to fit; trim dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold edge of top crust under bottom one; crimp to seal. Brush water on bottom of cutout; press onto top crust. Beat egg yolk with cream; brush all over dough. Sprinkle pie generously with sanding sugar; freeze until firm, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400°F, with rack in lower third.
• Transfer pie plate to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet, and bake until just golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 375°F. Bake until juices are bubbling and crust is deep golden brown, about 1 hour. If edges brown too quickly, cover with a foil ring (see page 324). Let pie cool completely on a wire rack.

BRANDIED PEAR, PRUNE AND FIG PIE

Steps:

• For Crust: Blend flour, sugar and salt in processor. Using on/off turns, cut in butter and cream cheese until coarse meal forms. With machine running, pour just enough water down feed tube to form moist clumps. Gather dough into ball. Divide dough in half. Flatten each half into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill at least 1 hour. (Can be made 2 days ahead.)
• For Filling: Mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and salt in large bowl. Mix in pears, prunes and figs. Sprinkle brandy over and mix well. Let stand 15 minutes to allow juices to form.
• Position rack in lowest third of oven and preheat to 400° F. Roll out 1 dough disk on lightly floured surface to 14-inch-diameter round. Transfer to 10-inch-diameter glass pie dish; gently press dough into place. Spoon filling into crust, mounding slightly in center. Roll out second dough disk on lightly floured surface to 14-inch-diameter round. Drape dough over filling. Trim dough overhang to 1/2 inch. Press edges together to seal and fold under. Crimp edge decoratively. Brush top of crust (but not edge) with glaze. Cut several small slits in crust to allow steam to escape.
• Bake pie until crust is golden brown and pears are tender when pierced through steam vents, about 50 minutes. Cool slightly and serve.

PEAR AND FIG PIE WITH HAZELNUT CRUST

Steps:

• Finely grind nuts, sugar and salt in processor. Blend in flour. Add butter and cut in using on/off turns until butter is in rice-size pieces. Blend in 4 tablespoons ice water, adding more water by tablespoonfuls until dough comes together in moist clumps. Gather dough into ball. Divide in half; flatten into disks. Wrap each in plastic; refrigerate until cold, about 45 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.)
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine first 5 ingredients in large bowl. Add pears and toss to blend.
• Roll out 1 dough disk on lightly floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish; fill with pear mixture. Roll out second dough disk on lightly floured surface to 12-inch round; place atop filling. Trim overhang of top and bottom crusts to 1/4 inch; press together and fold under. Crimp edge decoratively. Cut several slits in top crust to allow steam to escape.
• Bake pie 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Bake pie until juices bubble thickly through vents and crust is golden, about 50 minutes longer. Cool pie on rack 45 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

WALNUT PEAR PIE

Steps:

• Make the sweet walnut pie pastry as for short-crust pastry using the egg yolk and as much water as needed (see recipe below), working the ground walnuts and cinnamon in with the flour. Chill for 30 minutes or until firm.
• Roll out two-thirds of the dough and line the pan with it. Peel, core and quarter the pears and arrange them in a cartwheel pattern in the pan. Cover the center with slices of the remaining pears. Roll out the remaining dough to around the same diameter as the top of the pan. Using a cutter, cut a circle out of the center of the round leaving a ring.
• Brush the edge of the bottom pastry layer lightly with water. Lay the ring on the pears and press the edges firmly onto the bottom layer of dough. Brush the ring with water and sprinkle with the sugar. Chill for 10 to 15 minutes, so the pastry is firm. Meanwhile set the oven to 350 degrees.
• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the pastry is well-browned and the pears are tender. Unmold the pie and serve warm. Just before serving, pour the whipped cream into the center.

FIG AND WALNUT BISCOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together flours, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and anise. In a medium bowl, whisk eggs until they're pale yellow and hold a ribbon for 1 second when whisk is lifted, about 5 minutes. Whisk in zest.
• Fold egg mixture into flour mixture until combined. Fold in figs and walnuts. Lightly spray a parchment-lined baking sheet with cooking spray. Divide dough in half on parchment. Spray hands with cooking spray; form each piece of dough into a 2 1/2-inch-wide log. Bake until dough is firm but gives slightly when pressed, about 25 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack and let logs cool 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.
• Cut each log on the diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices; place slices, cut side up, on sheet. Bake 7 minutes, flip biscotti, and bake 7 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.