Easy Pear and Peach Pie with Streusel Topping

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Although I don't profess the greatest baking skills I do like to bake and especially enjoy baking when the cooler weather starts to set in. It's a glorious 66 degree day here in Connecticut and after getting some bargain canned fruits I decided I would make a pear and peach pie knowing I had a deep dish pie crust and extra streusel topping in the freezer begging to be used. I made and baked the pie in about 45 minutes.
Not withstanding the simplicity and how budget friendly this recipe is, the flavor is fantastic.

• 1 ready deep dish pie crust (or make your own pie crust)
• 2 - 15.25 oz. cans pear halves (reserve the liquid)
• 1 - 15.25 oz. can peach halves (reserve the liquid)
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar firmly packed
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice (the bottled kind is fine)
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla
• pinch of nutmeg or freshly grated
• 2 tsp. cornstarch and 2-3 tsp. of the reserved juice

1. Open all the cans of fruit and drain the liquid into a bowl using a fine mesh strainer if you have one. Reserve about 3 tsp. of that liquid.
2. With the reserved liquid add 2 tsp. of corn starch and mix well to combine.
3. Place the rest of the reserved liquid in a small sauce pot and to that add the lemon juice, cinnamon, brown sugar and nutmeg. Stir well.
4. Bring the liquid up to a boil and whisk in the thickener. When it starts to thicken a little bit, remove from the heat and cool down.
5. While that is cooling down make your pie crust (if not using a prepared shell) and make your streusel topping.

Now onto the Streusel topping:

• 1 stick butter
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp. or less grated nutmeg

1. Cut your butter into small pieces and place in the freezer for a few minutes.
2. While the butter is getting extra hard, in your food processor whiz together the flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. Add the hard butter pieces to the food processor and pulse until the butter is small. You will have extra topping if you are making one pie so just bag up the rest and place in your freezer until the next pie.

 After you have everything ready (crust and streusel and cooled down liquid) it's time for assembly.

1. You can lay the fruit in any fashion you wish. I chose to leave the pears whole and lay them on the bottom followed by the peaches.
2. I took some of the liquid and poured it over the fruit. You be the judge of how much you want in the pie. I used about 1/2 cup or so.
3. Then top with the streusel - as much as you want.
4. Baked in a preheated 350° oven for about 30 minutes until the crust is nice golden brown and the streusel is cooked.

There you have it. A simple dessert that's doesn't break the bank! This pie cost me approximately $7.15 to make and serves 6-8 slices.