On cold fall nights there is nothing better than a warm and seasonal treat. Our farm share has been bursting with local apples and pears and this simple recipe lets the fruits own natural sweetness shine through. To me the simple combination of apples and pear compliment each other so well and as a Chef once told me, "what grows together goes together"; I find that this rings true in this seasonal simple crisp. Now this recipe was loosely inspired around one of my favorite french desserts, an Apple Tarte Tartin, but since I did not have any puff pastry at the time, this recipe became much more of a crisp since I ended up useing oatmeal and brown sugar as a crust & topping. I also insist that the only way to serve this dessert should be vanilla ice cream or ice cream!
Heirloom Apple and Pear Crisp

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small cubes

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats

3 pounds apples (I used honey crisp)and pears(I used asian and d'angelo) cored, and cut into 1/2-inch chunks

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix flour, brown sugar, salt, and 2 tbsp. granulated sugar. Mix until a coarse meal. Add oats and set aside. Toss apples and pears in lemon juice, spices and remaining granulated sugar. Place apples in baking dish and bake until golden brown, about 55-60 minutes. Enjoy!