Name: Pear, Almond, and Dried-Cherry Brown Betty
Yield: Makes 8 to 10 servings
Ingredients: 1/2 cup dried tart cherries; 3 tablespoons poire Williams (clear pear brandy) or regular brandy; 6 5x4-inch slices white sandwich bread with crust (such as buttermilk bread), torn into pieces (about 6 cups); 1 cup sliced almonds; 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted; 1 1/2 cups hot water; 1/2 cup honey; 1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar; 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice; 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg or ground nutmeg; 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves; 21/2 pounds firm but ripe pears (such as Bosc or Bartlett), peeled, halved, cored, cut into 1-inch cubes; Vanilla ice cream

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Pear, Almond, and Dried-Cherry Brown BettyHans Gissinger

Brown Betty recipes started showing up in the late 1800s, although nobody is sure who "Betty" was. Traditionally, a brown Betty is made with apples, breadcrumbs, and spices. In this updated version, pears stand in for the apples and the breadcrumbs are enriched with almonds. Keep in mind that this dessert is best eaten the day it's made (but any leftovers would be nice for breakfast).

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