Brown Butter Pear Bars

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As I flung open the patio door this morning to let the sun stream across the leather couch, I jumped quickly back in surprise. The breeze was cold, unexpectedly so. Though I am holding onto summer with tightly clenched hands, refusing to admit that we are transitioning, I have noticed the shifting light patterns and changing leaves.

I’ll console myself with a brown butter pear bar, the “fall” (not ready to use the word!) counterpart to my brown butter cherry bars. I love the way the creamy Bartlett pears almost melt into the spiced brown butter filling; I’m convinced pears plus brown butter is a combination of pure magic.

Brown Butter Pear Bars
Crust
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup graham flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp light brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Filling
3/4 cup unsalted butter
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 Tbsp flour
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cardamom
1/8 tsp salt
4 cups diced pears

Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with parchment paper. Whisk together flours, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Combine melted butter, sugars, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Add flour mixture and fold in until incorporated. Press dough evenly into bottom of prepared baking dish and bake for 18 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 20 minutes.

To prepare filling, cook butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until it foams, turns clear, and then turns a deep brown, about 6 minutes. Pour browned butter into a glass measuring cup to cool slightly. Whisk eggs, sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl; add flour, cinnamon, cardamom, and salt and whisk until smooth. Gradually pour in cooled brown butter; whisk until completely blended. Fold in pears and pour filling over crust.

Bake for 37 to 38 minutes, until filling is puffed and golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Carefully lift parchment to remove bars from pan and place on a cutting board; cut into squares using a serrated knife. Store bars in a single layer in an airtight container in the refrigerator; let come to room temperature before serving.

Yield – 32 bars
Calories – 160 (per bar)
Carbs – 18