Apple-Pear Crumble Pie

I love fall for many reasons - leaves turning color on the trees, the sites, the smells, Halloween, Thanksgiving and of course for the pure reason that my favorite fruit - the apple - which is in its best season in our area.


In following my love of apples, I have tried out yet another apple pie type recipe - this time an Apple-Pear Crumble Pie from KratFoods.com. It was dessert for the other night when our parents came over dor dinner. It was certainly easy to make and of course incorporated apples so that's always a plus in my book.


Everyone said it was good. My verdict? It is just ok - not bad, but not spectacular. It's a good recipe to keep around but I probaby won't be running out to make it again anytime soon. Idid make it using Splenda & Splenda Brown Sugar blends as substitutes where possible so that may have affected the taste a bit.



Apple-Pear Crumble Pie
(from KraftFoods.com)


3/4 cup crushed NILLA Wafers (about 24 wafers)
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
1 ready-to-use refrigerated pie crust (1/2 of 15-oz. pkg.)
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
2 large baking apples, peeled, sliced
1 large fresh pear, peeled, sliced
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg
1-1/4 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping


Preheat oven to 375ºF. Mix wafer crumbs, brown sugar and butter until well blended; set aside.
Place pie crust in greased 9-inch pie plate. Spread cream cheese carefully onto bottom of crust; sprinkle with half of the crumb mixture. Set aside. Combine fruit in large bowl. Add granulated sugar, flour and cinnamon; toss to coat. Spoon over crumb layer in pie crust; sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture.
Bake 35 min. or until fruit is tender and crust is lightly browned, covering loosely with foil after 25 min. if necessary to prevent crust from overbrowning. Cool on wire rack. Serve topped with the whipped topping. Store any leftover pie in refrigerator.