Masala spiced pear pie
Pies
Pears: You either love them or the texture turns you off. Personally, I love them. My favorite way to eat them is out of hand. Biting into a fragrant ripe pear, juices dripping on my chin and hand is pure heaven. Baking with ripe pears can be just as magical. While a fresh pear may be mild in flavor, they are nearly blank slates. The fruity and floral notes blend with so many ingredients that they are more than just versatile, they are almost a baking necessity. <br /> <br />Pears combine well with many spices. But rather than reach for the usual suspects, cinnamon and nutmeg or perhaps ginger, grab some garam masala. This traditional Indian spice blend is full of flavors that meld beautifully with ripe, juicy pears. The slight heat of black peppers and red chili powder wake up the palate and make the other flavors sing. The blend I used in my pie was made from coriander, chili, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, dry mango powder, star anise, fennel seeds, black pepper, mace, and bay leaves. While the choice may sound improbable, I cannot imagine ever making a pear pie without garam masala again. When choosing a brand of garam masala, be sure to read the ingredients and skip any that contain garlic or onions. For those less brave than I am, simply omit the garam masala and use your favorite pumpkin pie spice blend. <br /> <br />To complete the dessert, I served my pie with generous scoops of homemade buttermilk ice cream and a generous drizzle of blackberry syrup. I have included the recipe for the blackberry syrup with this pie. Unless you have the time to make buttermilk ice cream, I suggest using the best quality vanilla ice cream you can find.
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