Five-Spice Pear-Apple Pie

Anise, one of the more exotic spices in five-spice powder, stands out in this fruit pie.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 (9 inch)  unbaked pie shells, refrigerated

• Filling

• 3 1⁄2 cups  peeled cored, and sliced Granny Smith apples (also may use Cortland or Northern Spy)
• 3 1⁄2 cups  cored sliced ripe pears (peeled or unpeeled)
• 1  grated lemon, zest of
• 1  tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2  tablespoons  orange juice
• 3⁄4 cup sugar, divided
• 1 1⁄2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2  teaspoons Chinese five spice powder

• Cornmeal Streusel Topping

• 3⁄4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1⁄4 cup  fine yellow cornmeal
• 2⁄3 cup  firmly packed brown sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup  cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the apples, pears, lemon zest, lemon juice, orange juice, and 1/2 cup sugar; set aside for 10 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup sugar, cornstarch, and five-spice powder; stir mixture into the fruit.
3. Transfer filling to the chilled pie shell; smooth filling with you hands to even it out.
4. Place the pie on the center oven rack of a 400° oven; bake for 30 minutes.
5. To make the topping: put the flour, cornmeal, brown sugar, and salt in the container of a food processor; pulse several times to mix.
6. Scatter the butter over the mixture; pulse until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
7. Empty crumbs into a bowl and rub them between your fingers to make large, buttery crumbs; refrigerate until ready to use.
8. Take pie out of oven and lower oven temperature to 375°.
9. Distribute crumbs evenly over top of pie; tamp them down lightly.
10. Return pie to oven (rotate pie so that the part that faced the back of the oven now faces the front); place a foil-lined baking sheet onto the rack below to catch any spills.
11. Bake for 30 minutes or until the juices bubble thickly around the edge.
12. Transfer pie to a wire rack and let cool at least 1 hour before serving.