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Smoke-Roasted Raspberry-Pear Crumble

Tantalizingly sweet Raspberry-Pear crisp – who would’ve thought – dessert on the grill!


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Smoke-Roasted Raspberry-Pear Crumble

Recipe Notes

  • Yield: 6-8
  • Method: Indirect grilling

Ingredients

  • 2 pints fresh raspberries, picked over
  • 1 large ripe pear (Asian or Bartlett), peeled, cored, and diced
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoons grated lemon zest
  • 1/2 cups coarsely crumbled biscotti or gingersnap cookie crumbs
  • 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
  • 6 tablespoons (3⁄4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • Pinch of salt
  • Vanilla ice cream (optional), for serving
  • 1 8-by-10-inch aluminum disposable foil pan
  • cooking oil spray
  • 1 cups wood chips or chunks (preferably apple), soaked for 1 hour in water to cover, then drained

Recipe Steps

Step 1: Pick through the raspberries, removing any stems, leaves, or bruised berries. Mrs. Raichlen would rinse and drain them—I don’t bother. Place the berries and the diced pear in a large nonreactive mixing bowl. Drizzle with the lemon juice and stir gently. Add 1/4 cup of the flour and the granulated sugar, and the lemon zest and gently toss to mix. Lightly spray the aluminum foil pan with cooking spray. Spoon the raspberry-pear mixture into the aluminum foil pan.

Step 2: Place the biscotti crumbs, brown sugar, and the remaining 1/2 cup of flour in a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process until a coarse powder forms. Add the butter and salt, then pulse until the mixture is coarse and crumbly. Spoon the topping over the filling.

Step 3: Set up the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium-high. If using a gas grill, place all of the wood chips or chunks in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and run the grill on high until you see smoke, then reduce the heat to medium-high. If using a charcoal grill, preheat it to medium-high, then toss all of the wood chips or chunks on the coals.

Step 4: When ready to cook, place the pan with the filling in the center of the hot grate, away from the heat, and cover the grill. Cook the crumble until the filling is bubbling and the topping is browned, about 40 minutes. Serve the crumble hot or warm, ideally with vanilla ice cream.

Variation: For an outrageously delicious twist on this crumble, replace the raspberries and pear with blueberries and peaches. (Raspberries and peaches are good together, too.)