Chocolate Hazelnut Pear Crumble
What is it with crumble that it looks so totally not sexy in photos? This Chocolate Hazelnut Pear Crumble has taken me so long to post because of the images but in the end, I gave up and these photos will have to do. All that matters is the recipe – your proof is in the pudding!
This Chocolate Hazelnut Pear Crumble is so quick to make and ticks all the autumn-winter-spring pear comfort-food dessert boxes. We love this not just for dessert but any leftovers are pounced on for breakfast, weekend brunch and – typically French – for teatime too as a crrrrumbeulle with a pot of tea.
All throughout Autumn and Winter, we’ve had a constant supply of ripe-firm pears at our local market, which are just right for this crumble. In February, and now in March, they’re still going strong! For this recipe I use Comice pears but you can use Williams, Conference – any of the winter varieties.
Pears, Apples and Chocolate Heaven
As I was developing the recipe, I found that adding some apple helped soak up the juices, as pears for a crumble do tend to be rather wet and juicy, which could make it a bit soggy if used on their own. However, the mixture of the two together and cooking them lightly at the beginning will prove to be just right.
To make this recipe a little less in gluten than my classic apple crumble, I’ve replaced some of the flour with oats and the hazelnuts just add that incredible flavour. It’s like having a homemade Nutella crumble but much healthier.
Although I add unsweetened cacao powder to the hazelnut crumble, the real secret is hidden underneath: good quality dark bittersweet chocolate (at least 64% cacao), in cooking disks or grated, just merges in to the fruit. It’s a perfect marriage in a baking dish.
This one is ready to go in the oven. Just ensure that the chocolate and fruit are hidden underneath the crumble.
Chocolate Hazelnut Pear Crumble
An easy chocolate oat crumble that's a great compromise for a family dessert with fruit - the ultimate comfort-food with extra dark chocolate and lower in gluten than the classic crumble.
- 50 g (2oz) Ground Hazelnuts
- 50 g (2oz) Plain (all purpose) flour
- 75 g (3oz) medium oats (porridge oats)
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 100 g (4oz) butter unsalted
- 1 good pinch salt (fleur de sel)
- 40 g (1.5oz) soft light brown sugar (cane sugar)
- 10 g (0.5oz) unsalted butter
- 3 firm to ripe Large Williams or Comice pears peeled, cored, chopped
- 5-6 Granny Smith apples peeled, cored, chopped
- 10 g (0.5oz) vanilla sugar or cane sugar with 1/2 tsp vanilla powder
- 50 g (2oz) dark bittersweet chocolate (min 64%) (good quality, in button form or grated)
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Combine all the crumble ingredients in a large bowl, lightly rubbing through your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Set aside.
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Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/Gas 6.
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Peel, core and chop up the apples and pears roughly into chunks. Melt the butter in a large non-stick frying pan, toss in the fruit chunks and sprinkle over the vanilla sugar. Leave to cook over a medium heat, turning the apples and pears now and again, for about 5-8 minutes. The fruit should not be mushy, just lightly cooked. Drain off any excess fruit juice if there is any (set aside and reduce over medium heat to serve apart with the crumble later so that there's no waste).
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Transfer the fruit to a gratin or pudding dish (no need to butter it) and scatter over the dark chocolate. Sprinkle on a generous amount of crumble until the fruit and chocolate are completely covered.
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Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the top is toasted or lightly browned. Leave to cool slightly before serving.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Replace the dark chocolate with milk chocolate according to taste.
We normally serve this chocolate hazelnut pear crumble on its own but if you prefer, add some vanilla ice cream, pouring cream or an adult boozy ice cream such as this non-churn Calvados ice cream (replace the Drambuie with Calvados).
Jill Colonna
More Crumble Love
If you love crumbles, have you tried these yet?
- Pink rhubarb oat crumble recipe with airy white chocolate mousse
- Persimmon Apple Crumble with Rum Sauce (Christina’s Cucina)
- Blackberry and Apple Crumble (Farmersgirl Kitchen)
- Cherry Crumble with Almonds & Quinoa – Gluten free (Everyday Healthy Recipes)
- Apple Crumble with Fennel (Recipes Made Easy)
- Blackberry and Apple Crumble with Ginger & Walnuts (Tin & Thyme)
More Pear Recipes
- Pear Belle-Hélène
- Bourdaloue Parisian Pear-Almond Tart
- Poached Pears in Vanilla and Coffee
- Caramelised Chocolate-Pear Cake
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