Pear & Coconut Crumble Bars

Summer meets autumn with these tasty crumble bars!

Pears are a really underrated fruit in my opinion, they get a bad rap because most aren't sure on the slightly grainy texture of the flesh. But if you buy the right pears you get an enormous juicy bite with a buttery sensation. I've used Rocher pears which are my favourite, but conference pears also work really well. The smaller pears are little more firm which will only give these bars more of a crunch, which personally is not what I recommend, you want something that becomes soft but not mushy. I've added a little spice to this recipe with ground cardamom for some autumnal warmth which really brings out the fruitiness of the pears. And to top it off, I've mixed through desiccated coconut with the crumble topping for a slight tang, hence why this really is a transitional recipe from summer to autumn. 

If you like these crumble bars..

Check out my other recipes for more inspiration!

• Apple and Blackberry Crumble Cake
• Apricot Crumble
• Triple Berry Crumble Bars

Recipe

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 45 minutes

Serves: 16

Ingredients

Base

• 150g butter softened
• 220g plain flour
• 50g caster sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt

Filling

• 800g pears - rocher or conference
• 30g light brown suagr
• 1 tsp ground cardamom
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp cornflour

Topping

• 120g butter softened
• 100g caster sugar
• 100g plain flour
• 60g Oats
• 2btps desiccated coconut
• 1/2 tsp salt

Method

1. Peel and chop the pears into small cubes. Place in a bowl with the remaining ingredients for the filling and leave to infuse. 
2. Preheat the oven to 180℃ and grease and line a 9x9 inch baking tray. 
3. In a large bowl, cube the butter into the plain flour. Use your hands to mix together into a breadcrumb consistency. Then add in the sugar and salt and mix in.
4. Press the mixture into the base of the baking tray and then bake for 15 minutes. Meanwhile use the same bowl to make the crumble topping. Mix the butter into the flour with your hands into a breadcrumb consistency. Then add in the oats and caster sugar and mix. 
5. When the base has baked, remove from the oven and spoon in the pear mixture. Spread out evenly and then top with the crumble making sure the pears are covered and coated. 
6. Place back in the oven for about 30 minutes until golden brown all over. Wait till cooled then cut into 16 bars. Best served with vanilla ice cream or custard. Enjoy!

Christina

xx