NEW ORLEANS —
Winter Pear Bars
- 2 cups flour
- 2 Tbsp. Wheat germ
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
- 3/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Filling - 3/4 cup butter
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup flour
- 3/4 tsp. cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. cardamom
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 4 cups pears, dices
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with parchment paper
- Whisk together flours, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Combine melted butter, sugars, and vanilla in a medium bowl.
- Add flour mixture and fold in until incorporated.
- Press dough evenly into bottom of prepared baking dish and bake for 18 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 20 minutes.
- To prepare filling, cook butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until it foams and then turns a deep brown, about 6 minutes.
- Pour browned butter into a glass measuring cup to cool slightly. Whisk eggs, sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl; add flour, cinnamon, cardamom and salt and whisk until smooth.
- Gradually pour in cooled brown butter; whisk until completely blended.
- Fold in pears and pour filling over crust.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes, until filling is puffed and golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Carefully lift parchment to remove bars from pan and place on a cutting board; cut into squares using a serrated knife.
- Store bars in a single layer in an airtight container in the refrigerator; let come to room temperature before serving.