Pear Cranberry Oat Crumble

Pears soften beneath a buttery oat topping while cranberries add little pockets of tartness. The fruit cooks in one dish, and the uneven crumble clusters become crisp at their edges.

Ingredients

• 700 g ripe firm pears
• 150 g fresh or frozen cranberries
• 100 g brown sugar
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 100 g plain flour
• 80 g rolled oats
• 100 g cold butter
• ¼ tsp salt

Method

1. Heat oven to 190°C / 375°F. Set out a 20 cm square baking dish. Peel and core pears, then cut into 1.5 cm chunks; weigh 700 g before peeling.
2. Toss pears with cranberries, 40 g of the brown sugar, cornflour, half the cinnamon and lemon juice. Transfer to the baking dish and spread evenly. Use frozen cranberries directly without thawing.
3. Combine flour, oats, remaining 60 g sugar, remaining cinnamon and salt. Cut butter into small cubes and rub it into the dry mixture until uneven pea-sized crumbs form. Leave some larger clusters.
4. Scatter crumble evenly over the fruit without pressing it down. Set the dish on a baking tray to catch any bubbling juices.
5. Bake for 35–40 minutes until the topping is golden and fruit juices bubble visibly around the edges. A small knife should enter the pear easily. If the top browns early, cover loosely with foil while the fruit finishes cooking.
6. Rest for 15 minutes before dividing into six portions. The cranberry juices thicken as the crumble stands; serve warm with the crisp topping uppermost.
7. Refrigerate cooled leftovers within two hours for up to three days. Reheat portions in the oven to restore some crispness.

Choose ripe but firm pears

They soften during baking while holding recognizable pieces. Very hard pears may need longer, and overripe fruit can collapse.

Keep the topping loose

Uneven crumbs create crisp and tender patches. Pressing them flat produces a dense lid.

Wait for bubbling juices

A golden topping alone does not mean the fruit is cooked. Check both the bubbling edges and tenderness of the pears.

FAQs

How many servings does this make?

Makes 6 servings using the pan or equipment listed.

What should I check before serving?

Rest for 15 minutes before dividing into six portions. The cranberry juices thicken as the crumble stands; serve warm with the crisp topping uppermost.

How should I store leftovers?

Refrigerate cooled leftovers within two hours for up to three days. Reheat portions in the oven to restore some crispness.