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Winning Recipe

Pillsbury® Refrigerated Pie Crust Pie Baking Championship

 

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2009 Grand Prize Winning Recipe

 

Bill Blake of Star City, AR

Arkansas State Fair
 
 
 
 
 
 
Pear Cream Pie

Prep Time: 1 Hour 20 Minutes

Start to Finish: 5 Hours 20 Minutes

Crust: 
  • 1 box Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box
Fruit Filling: 
  • 5 cups sliced peeled fresh pears 
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon fruit protector (ascorbic acid)
  • 1 1/4 cups water
Cream Filling:
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cups milk
  • 3/4 cup evaporated milk
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
Topping:
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 1/4 cup sugar 
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1. Heat oven to 450°F. Place 1 pie crust in 9-inch glass pie plate as directed on box for One-Crust Baked Shell.  Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until light brown.

2. To make lattice top, cut second crust into 1/2-inch-wide strips with pastry cutter.  Line large cookie sheet with parchment. Weave strips together to make lattice design; trim to fit top of pie. Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until golden brown. 

3. Meanwhile, in large saucepan, place pears, 3/4 cup sugar, the fruit protector and water. Cook over medium heat until pears are tender and almost all liquid has evaporated. Cool slightly while cooking filling.

4. In medium saucepan, place egg yolks; beat with whisk or fork to blend.  Stir in 1 cup sugar. Add cornstarch and salt; mix well. Stir in 1 1/4 cups milk, the evaporated milk and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla until blended. Stir in butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbly. Spread pears in cooled baked shell. Spread cream filling over pears. Carefully slide lattice top onto pie. Cool; refrigerate 4 hours or until filling is set.

5. In chilled small bowl, beat all topping ingredients with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form (Do not overbeat.) Decorate top of pie with whipped cream as desired. Serve with any remaining whipped cream. Store covered in refrigerator.

8 servings 

1 Serving: Calories 680 (Calories from Fat 270); TotalFat30g (SaturatedFat16g); Cholesterol35mg; Sodium450mg; Potassium280mg; TotalCarbohydrate96g (DietaryFiber3g); Protein5g

% Daily Value: VitaminA15%; VitaminC4%; Calcium15%; Iron2%; VitaminD15%; FolicAcid6%

Exchanges: 2 Starch, 1/2 Fruit, 4 Other Carbohydrate, 6 Fat

Carbohydrate Choices: 6 1/2

This Pear Cream Pie earned grand prize honors in the 2009 Pillsbury® Refrigerated Pie Crusts Championship.  The recipe was the Arkansas State Fair first place winner, created by Bill Blake.