This treat is a long time coming, like almost a years time…Let me explain.
One of the littles had requested a dessert of some type of almond pear situation for his birthday…..last year. Of course I said yes, no problem, for your birthday, you got it. But I never got it. I actually completely forgot. Then a few months later, I remebemered, felt like a big D-bag and told myself I still had to make something for the guy… and I forgot again. Next time I remembered, I had just bought a bunch of pears and that was it. Make the kid something you bitch (is what I told myself) but heres the thing, I figured he forgot too and those pears were mighty tasty.(I know I am horrible)
So just last week I was at the store, meandering through the produce, and noticed that local pears were on sale. This was it. I knew it had to be done. I bought a large quantity (enough to bake with and eat) and got to making that little his birthday treat request. I went with bars.. nothing to sweet, nothing to crazy, lot and lots of almond and pear flavors. Perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack, and made even better by the fact that they were made for him, and it isn't even his birthday.
So I made them, and brought them to his house, waited for him to get off the bus from school, and handed him his long awaited pear almond treat. He was so happy, it made me feel like shit.(I so should have made him something a year ago) But oh well, he got them right? And this way is much more a surprise then if I had actually made them when I said that I would. An unexpected, not your birthday, birthday treat!
Right here guys…Still the Best Aunt EVER!
The stuff. Alond flour, oat flour, baking soda ,salt, earth balance and a little honey. We also need some rolled oaths almond butter and almonds. And of course we need pears, with a little corn starch and a smidge of cinnamon.
Nice ripe pears get thinly sliced, seeds and stems removed.
Tossed into a bowl with the starch and cinnamon and set aside.
The oat and almond flour gets mixed together with the salt and the baking soda, then mix together with the earth balance and honey until it turns into a dough.( I used my hands to mix it together…it worked better then a fork)
Break off about a 1/4 of the dough and stick back in bowl. Take the rest and evenly press into the bottom of a 9x9 baking pan.
Take the remaing dough and mix in the almonds, oats, and almond butter to form the crumble.
Dump the pears on the crust, making sure the are level and pretty evenly layered.
And crumble the crumble on top.
Give it a little press to compact the crumble and into the oven it goes!
When all browned and crispy and nice, remove from oven and let cool. Cut into squares and go for it.
Look at that, so much goodness.Go ME!
Happy Wednesday people!
-C
Pear Almond Oat Crumble Squares
For the crust and crumble
- 1 1/2 cup oat flour
- 1 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 cup earth balance (can use butter)
- 1/4 cup almond butter
- 1/2 cup oats
- 1/4 cup almonds
For the pear filling
- 4-5 ripe pears
- 2 tablespoons corn or arrowroot starch
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350
In a large bowl, mix together the almond and oat flour, baking soda, and salt. Add in the earth balance and honey and mix together until a dough forms (I find using my hands to work swell). Roll dough into a blob and tear about 1/4 of the dough away and set back into bowl. Press the remaining dough into he bottom of a 9X9 inch baking pan. With the remaining dough, mix the rolled oats, the almond butter and the chopped almonds and set aside again.
Now slice up your pears into 1/4 inch thick slices (remove seeds and stems) and toss into a bowl with the cinnamon and starch. Take pears and layer ontop of the crust, trying to keep the pears evenly distributed. And dump and distribute the crumble topping all over the pears. Gie the whole thing a few pats to compress the crumble a bit.
Stick into the oven and bake for about 45 minutes, or until the crumble topping is all nice and brown and crispy.
Remove from the oven, let cool and cut into squares.
Great as breakfast lunch snack or dinner. Eat with you hands and lick crumbs off plate.