Title: Maple cranberry pear cobbler
 Categories: 
      Yield: 4 Servings
 
      3    Pears, such as Bartlett or
           Bosc, peeled, halved, cored,
           And cut into
           Slices
      3 c  (12-ounce bag) cranberries,
           Picked over and rinsed
      1 c  Maple syrup
      2 tb Orange juice
      1 tb Grated orange peel
    1/2 ts Cinnamon
           Freshly grated nutmeg to
           Taste
  1 1/2 tb Cornstarch dissolved in 3
           TB water
           For the biscuit dough:
      2 c  All-purpose flour
      1 tb Sugar
  2 1/2 ts Baking powder
    1/2 ts Salt
    1/2    Stick (1/2 cup) cold
           Unsalted butter, cut into
           Bits
      2 tb Cold vegetable shortening
      1 c  Heavy cream
           Egg wash made by beating 1
        lg Egg with 1 teaspoon water
 
  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
  
  In a saucepan combine the pears, cranberries, maple syrup, orange
  juice, orange peel, cinnamon and nutmeg, bring to a boil and simmer,
  stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, or until cranberries have
  popped. Stir in cornstarch mixture and simmer for 1 minute, or until
  thickened. Let cool. Transfer mixture to a buttered baking dish.
  
  Make the dough: Into a bowl sift together the flour, sugar, baking
  powder and salt. Add the butter and the shortening and blend the
  mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Stir in the cream and form
  the dough into a ball.
  
  On a floured surface roll the dough into a round large enough to fit
  the dish, arrange it over the filling and crimp the edge
  decoratively. Brush the dough with the egg wash, cut steam vents in
  
  the center, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown.
  
  Yield: 6 to 8 servings