Pear-and-Almond Custard Pie

Ingredients

• 0.5 teaspoon almond extract 
• 2 tablespoons almonds sliced
• 2 pounds anjou pears firm cored ripe peeled
• 0.5 cup brown sugar packed
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar 
• 2 large eggs 
• 0.7 cup milk 2% reduced-fat
• 9 inch pastry crust 
• 0.1 teaspoon salt 
• 0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• oven
• knife
• whisk
• wire rack

Directions

1. Prepare and bake the Pastry Crust in a 9-inch pie plate. Cool crust completely on a wire rack.
2. Preheat oven to 40
3. Cut pears in half lengthwise; cut each half into 1/8-inch-thick slices, keeping slices in order as they are cut. Arrange pear slices in prepared crust in 2 layers.
4. Combine 1/2 cup brown sugar, salt, and eggs in a bowl; stir well with a whisk.
5. Add milk and extracts; stir well.
6. Pour milk mixture over pears; sprinkle with 2 tablespoons brown sugar and almonds.
7. Place pie plate on a baking sheet.
8. Bake at 400 for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 (do not remove pie from oven); bake an additional 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.