Pear Brownies with a Shortbread Crust

One of my all time favorite combos is pear and chocolate... sooo stinking good! I've made pear brownies for years, but adding the crunch of a shortbread crust brought them to a whole other level. These were a huge hit at the last family dinner!

Shortbread Crust Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour

1/8 tsp salt 

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup cold unsalted butter

Brownie Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup sugar 

1 tsp vanilla

2 large eggs

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup flour

3 pears, pealed and cut into 3 sections

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (optional) 

Shortbread Directions: 

first grease a 9 inch springform pan. You can also use a regular nine inch cake pan...no big deal! 

preheat the oven to 425

1) In a medium bowl add flour, sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine. 

2) Add the cold butter.....blending it into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter until the pastry starts to come together and form clumps.

3) Transfer the pastry to the prepared pan and using your fingertips evenly press the pastry onto the bottom and up the sides of the pan...about and inch. (Using the back of a spoon or the bottom of a small glass can be helpful)  Gently pierce the bottom of the crust with the tines of a fork. 

4) Chill in the freezer for about 10 min. Place in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 6-8 min or until the edges start to brown slightly. 

Brownie Directions: 

Change the oven temp to 350

1) Mix oil and sugar until well blended

2) Add eggs and vanilla: stir just until blended

3) Mix all dry ingredients in a separate bowl

4) Stir dry ingredients into the oil/sugar mixture

5) Pour batter into the pan with the partially baked crust. Press the sliced pears into the batter. Sprinkle with the chocolate chips. Place in the oven on the middle rack ...bake for 40 min or until a toothpick come out clean.