Pear Cream Pie Picked as Pillsbury State Fair Grand Prize Winning Dessert

This unique fruit pie features cooked pears and a rich cream filling. It’s layered with a lattice crust and whipped topping. A neighbor’s pear tree inspired the recipe (from Bill Blake of Little Rock) which earned him a blue ribbon at the most recent Arkansas State Fair Pillsbury^® Refrigerated Pie Crusts Pie Baking Championship. It won for taste, appearance, creativity and ease of preparation.

Now the makers of Pillsbury pie crusts have picked Blake’s pie as its national pie baking championship grand prize winner. Julie Hinderks, a test kitchen expert at Pillsbury, noted, "This is not your ‘average’ cream pie. With the pre-baked lattice top and filling layer, it was a fun new twist on a traditional pear pie.” About 730 pies were entered at official host fairs across the country. For grand prize honors, Blake, a retired convenience store owner, wins a $1,000 cash award for winning top pie. Visit www.pillsbury.com/pie for more great pie recipes.

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.

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