Rum Raisin Pear Buckle with Pistachio Streusel
In season sweet and juicy ripe pears get an infusion of warmth from rum-spiked raisins in this buttermilk buckle that comes together in a matter of minutes. With flecks from vanilla, along with lemon zest to enhance the pear's fruitiness, the buckle is finished with a crunchy streusel of buttery pistachios -- the perfect complement for pears.
Equipment
- small microwave safe bowl for preparing raisins
- medium bowl for mixing streusel
- medium skillet
- medium mixing bowl
- zester or box grater
- for baking, 10" cast iron skillet -- or 9" to 10" cake pan or springform pan, 9" square cake pan or oven proof skillet
Ingredients
Cake
- ¼ cup golden raisins
- 2 tablespoons rum
- ½ cup melted butter + 3 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
- Zest from 1 lemon divided
- Pinch of salt
- 2 large Anjou pears cut in half, core removed and sliced into ¼” slices lengthwise
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- Juice from half a lemon
- 1-½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste or vanilla
- 1-½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1-¾ cup all-purpose flour
Pistachio Streusel Topping:
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons cold butter cut into pieces
- a few pinches of salt
- ¼ cup coarsely chopped pistachios
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Combine raisins with rum in a small microwave safe bowl and microwave on high hear for 25 seconds. Remove and let rest for 15 minutes.
- Melt 3 tablespoons butter in 10” cast iron skillet over medium heat. Brush butter up sides of the skillet. Add brown sugar, stirring with a wooden spoon until melted. Mix in sliced pears, stirring to coat. Mix Cook for 5 minutes until softened. Mix in lemon zest. Transfer pears and juices to a bowl. Reserve.
- Prepare Streusel: Mix the first four ingredients together, using a fork until the butter is incorporated into crumbles. Mix in pistachios. Reserve.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together ½ cup melted butter, buttermilk, sugar, egg, lemon, vanilla bean paste (or vanilla) until smooth. Whisk in baking powder and salt. Whisk in flour in ½ cup increments until batter is smooth. Fold in rum raisins.
- With skillet off of the heat source, pour half of the batter into the skillet, and then top with half the sliced pears and drizzle with half the juices. Pour remaining batter over the pears using a spatula to spread to edges. Top with remaining pears and remaining juices. Sprinkle streusel evenly over the top of the buckle.
- Bake in the center of the oven for 50 minutes until golden brown and firm, and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.