Caramel Pear Cobbler from 'Bake Smart' by Samantha Seneviratne
Food52
Photo by Johnny Miller
- Serves
- 8
- Prep Time
- 20 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 45 Minutes
This recipe was inspired by Southern chef extraordinaire Virginia Willis’s genius recipe for blackberry cobbler. Hers was the first I’d tasted where a lean cake batter was baked over fruit to create a multilayered, juice-soaked, pudding-like dessert with a lovely crisp top and stewed-berry bottom. In the past, I’d always topped my cobblers with biscuits, which is tasty, but that keeps the two entities a bit more separate. This version is like Virginia’s but uses caramelized pears and a buttery cake layer to create the perfect one-pot fall indulgence. Serve with Samantha's Crème Anglaise.
Ingredients
Pears
- 3 tablespoon (3/8 stick; 42 grams) butter
- 3 medium firm Bosc pears, cored and cut into 8 wedges
- 3 tablespoon (38 grams) dark or light brown sugar
- pinch kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Batter
- 8 tablespoon (1 stick; 113 grams) butter, melted
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (236 grams) buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup (136 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Samantha's Crème Anglaise (linked above)
Featured Video
Recipe from BAKE SMART by Samantha Seneviratne. Copyright © 2023 by Samantha Seneviratne. Reprinted with permission by Harvest, an imprint of HarperCollins. All rights reserved.
Directions
Pears
- Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350°F
- Step 2
PREPARE THE PEARS: In a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. *If the heat is too high, the caramel may separate. Fear not! Once the pears start cooking, they will release some juice and the whole mess will smooth out.
- Step 3
Add the pears and spread them out into an even layer.
- Step 4
Add the brown sugar and salt and cook until the pears are lightly browned in spots but not too soft and the caramel has thickened slightly, about 4 minutes.
- Step 5
Transfer the pears to a plate and wipe out the skillet (no need to wash it).
Batter
- Step 1
PREPARE THE BATTER: In a large bowl, stir together the butter, sugar, buttermilk, and vanilla.
- Step 2
Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and stir to combine.
- Step 3
Add the batter to the skillet and spread it into an even layer.
- Step 4
Top with the pears and any accumulated juices. *Sometimes the pears sink into the batter. Sometimes they don’t. Either way, the cobbler will be great.
- Step 5
Bake until the cake is set, about 45 minutes. You should be able to gently touch the cake in the center and feel that it’s firm.
- Step 6
Serve big, warm scoops of cobbler topped with Samantha's Crème Anglaise.