Individual Pear and Maple Cobblers

Individual Pear and Maple Cobblers

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Description

Maple syrup is one of New England's unique gifts to the culinary world. The natural sweetener is a wonderful complement to all kinds of ingredients but is especially good when teamed with pears, which are plentiful in fall. Here they're partnered in a cobbler, an old-fashioned dessert of fruit baked with a biscuit topping. Make sure to pass whipped cream flavored with the delicate syrup.

Ingredients

3 pounds ripe Barlett pears, peeled, quartered, cored
2/3 cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon (generous) ground nutmeg
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
9 tablespoons half and half
9 tablespoons pure maple syrup
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Melted butter
Sugar
Ground nutmeg
1 cup chilled whipping cream
Additional pure maple syrup

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Cut pears crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Combine in large bowl with maple syrup, flour, vanilla extract and ground nutmeg. Divide among six 2/3-cup custard cups of soufflé dishes. Dot tops with butter. Bake filling until hot and bubbling, about 18 minutes.
  2. Mix first 3 ingredients in processor. Add 6 tablespoons chilled butter and cut in until mixture resembles fine meal. Transfer to large bowl. Mix half and half, 6 tablespoons syrup and vanilla in another bowl. Add to dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Working quickly, drop batter in three mounds, 1 heaping tablespoon per mound, atop hot filling in each cup. Brush topping with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar and nutmeg. Immediately return cups to oven and bake 8 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375°F. and bake until toppings are golden and just firm to touch, about 14 minutes. Let cool at least 15 minutes.
  3. In medium bowl, beat 1 cup chilled cream with 3 tablespoons maple syrup to soft peaks. Serve cobblers warm with whipped cream. Drizzle additional maple syrup over.