FRENCH CALIFORNIA PEAR ALMOND PIE

Ingredients

1 (15-oz.) pkg. Refrigerated pie crust
1 tsp sugar
4 (15-oz.) cans sliced Bartlett pears in light syrup
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tbsp + 1 tsp cornstarch
1-1/4 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup almonds
Topping, optional
1 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tsp powdered sugar
1/4 tsp almond extract

Directions

To prepare pie: Preheat oven to 400°F. Place one pie crust on a lightly floured board. Brush with water and sprinkle with sugar. Top with second crust and roll out into a 15-inch circle. Place on a baking sheet coated with non-stick spray. Meanwhile, drain pears in a colander reserving 2/3 cup juice. Place juice, brown sugar, cornstarch, extract and cinnamon in a small saucepan; whisk to combine. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Place drained pears into a large bowl and toss with thickened juice mixture. Place pears in center of pie crust and sprinkle with almonds. Bring dough edges up in a circle over pears, leaving a 4-inch space in the center. Press lightly to seal. Sprinkle top with sugar. Tent lightly with foil if crust browns too quickly. Bake for 40 minutes; let cool before cutting. Serve with Almond Whipped Cream (recipe follows) or vanilla ice cream. Makes 8-10 servings.

To prepare topping, optional: Place heavy whipping cream into a medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Mix in powdered sugar and almond extract, and beat for about 10 seconds longer.

Nutrition Information

Nutrients per serving (without Almond Whipped Cream): calories 404; protein 4g; fat 14g; carbohydrate 67.6g; dietary fiber 5g; cholesterol 0mg; sodium 307mg