Pear Pie Bars

We had some pears and yogurt to use up, and some sourdough starter that wanted to be used. I mixed together some recipes to made up pear pie bars.

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 8 1/2 ounces sourdough starter, fed or unfed
• 3/4 cup lukewarm water
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 12.75 ounces All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons nonfat dry milk
• 3 tablespoons olive oil

Filling:

• 2 cup yogurt
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 4 pears, peeled, sliced 1/8" thick

Streusel:

• 1.5 cups old-fashioned oats (or quick cooking)
• 1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cubed

 

Instructions:

1. For the Dough: Combine starter and water in stand mixer bowl. Mix in yeast, and 1 cup of flour. Let proof for 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Mix in rest of flour, salt, milk, and oil, and knead them in mixer to make a smooth, soft dough.
3. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, and let it rise for 1 hour - it should probably double in bulk.
4. Lightly grease an 18" x 13" rimmed baking sheet (half-sheet pan).
5. Drizzle 1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil over the spray.
6. Press the dough into pan, and up sides. (Probably let it rest 10 minutes , and then press again up sides.
7. Preheat oven to 375° degrees.
8. For the topping: In a medium mixing bowl, mix all ingredients except pears.
9. Microwave on medium for 3 minutes, stir, and repeat until the yogurt mix thickens into a pudding.
10. Let pudding cool a few minutes.
11. For the streusel: Whirr the oats, sugar, cinnamon, and flour together in a food processor.
12. Cut in the chilled butter, mixing until the topping resembles coarse crumbs.
13. To assemble:
14. Evenly spread the pudding layer over the dough.
15. Lay pear slices over pudding layer.
16. Sprinkle the streusel over the pears.
17. Bake for 30 minutes until edges of crust are golden brown.
18. Remove it from the oven, cool it on a rack.
19. Slice into 3 x 3 inch pieces. (Depending on size, makes about 24 pieces)

 

Carole's Notes:

We liked this! You could taste the pears, the 'pudding' layer made the dough soft, and the streusel added another nice note.

The dough is from http://carolelikesroundfood.blogspot.com/2016/05/apple-cinnamon-flatbread.html

and the filling recipe is adapted from https://www.greatgrubdelicioustreats.com/fresh-pear-pie-bars/ 

and the streusel is from http://carolelikesroundfood.blogspot.com/2020/11/apple-pie-bar.html