If you love a bowl of oatmeal topped with fruit for breakfast, you’ll love this crumble that puts the fruit on the bottom and the oats on top. A warm fruity crumble is always a welcome winter dessert, and this one comes with a little kick from crystallized ginger. Serve it with the vanilla bean whipped cream or substitute 2 to 3 tablespoons of lemon curd for the vanilla bean.

PEAR AND GINGER CRUMBLE WITH VANILLA BEAN WHIPPED CREAM

SERVES 6 TO 8

For the filling

3 pounds Bartlett or Anjou pears, peeled, cored and sliced

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons minced crystallized ginger chips

1 1/2 tablespoon flour

For the topping

1 cup flour

2/3 cup quick-cooking (not instant) oatmeal

2/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Sea salt

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

4 ounces cold butter, cut into small pieces

For the whipped cream

1 cup heavy (whipping) cream

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise, seeds scraped out or

1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Steps:

     1. Make filling. Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 9-inch glass baking dish.

     2. In a medium bowl, combine pears and lemon juice. Stir in sugar, crystallized ginger, and flour; spoon into prepared pan.

     3. Make topping. In a medium bowl, combine flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and walnuts. Add butter; stir with a fork until moist clumps form. Sprinkle over pears.

     4. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until topping is golden and pears are tender.

     5. Make whipped cream. In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or with a hand mixer), beat cream and sugar on high speed until soft peaks form. Add vanilla bean seeds or paste; beat until stiff peaks form.

     6. To serve, spoon crumble onto dessert plates; top with cream.