Spiced Pear and Cranberry Cobbler

I live with a couple of Boy Scouts, and like most Scouts, they love to make cobbler in a cast iron Dutch oven.  This classic camping dessert is made with canned pie filling, a box of yellow cake mix, a can of lemon-lime soda and pats of butter.  It is a popular dessert at campouts and sometimes Dan and Jack will make it here at home as well.  I hate to admit that I am not a real big fan. For me Scout cobbler is just too syrupy sweet.  Now, the recipe below is my idea of a fantastic Cobbler and I think it makes for a terrific fall/winter dessert.  It has a great blend of flavors that really go well this time of year.  I’d like to try mixing some apples into the filling, I think that would be really nice.  It is simple enough to make for a family dinner or special enough to serve company. 

Spiced Pear-Cranberry Cobbler

Ingredients for the filling:

6 medium Bosc or Anjou pears, peeled, cored and chopped

1  (14 ounce) can whole cranberry sauce

1  cup fresh cranberries or 1/3  cup dried Craisins (I used Craisins)

½  cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Ingredients for the biscuit topping:

¾  cup flour

¼  cup cornmeal

3  tablespoons sugar

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

½  teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

¼  cup cold unsalted butter, cut up

1  egg, lightly beaten

½  cup pure canned pumpkin

2  tablespoons, half-n-half or milk

Whipped cream for serving

For the filling:  In a large bowl, mix pears, cranberry sauce, cranberries, brown sugar and the 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice.  Transfer to a 2 quart shallow baking dish.  Bake covered in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes.

For biscuit topping:  While the filling is baking, mix the flour, cornmeal, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder and ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice in a medium bowl.  Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or fork until the pieces are pea sized.

In a small bowl, combine the egg, pumpkin and half-n-half.  Add to the flour mixture all at once, stirring until just combined.

Remove baking dish from the oven and uncover.  Spoon biscuit topping into eight mounds on top of the hot pear mixture.

Bake uncovered for about 30 more minutes until a toothpick inserted in the biscuit topping comes out clean.  Cool on wire rack for 30 minutes.

Serve with whipped cream.

Cooks Note:  You'll have to open a can of Pure Pumpkin for this recipe.  If you need an idea for what to do with the left over pumpkin check out our Pumpkin Spice Latte or stir a little into your morning oatmeal.  

Enjoy!

Kim

This recipe is from Midwest Living magazine.