📖 Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Make sure the rack is in the center.
2. Prepare the pears: Peel, core, and slice the pears into about 1/4-inch thick slices. I like to use Bartlett pears, but Anjou or Bosc work great too. If you have one of those apple corer-slicers, that'll work too for the pears!
3. Combine the pear filling: In a large bowl, gently toss the sliced pears with the lemon juice, sugar, flour, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. This helps the pears release some of their juices and create a delicious, slightly thickened sauce as it bakes. Mmmm...
4. Add the chocolate: Stir in the chopped dark chocolate, ensuring it's evenly distributed among the pears. I love the intense flavor of dark chocolate with pears, but don't be affraid to use milk or semi-sweet chocolate if you'd prefer! Set the bowl aside.
5. Make the crisp topping: In another mixing bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, and cold, diced butter. The butter *must* be cold for the crisp to work. Use a pastry blender or your fingertips to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. This is where the magic happens!
6. Assemble the crisp: Transfer the pear and chocolate mixture to your prepared pie dish, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle the crisp topping evenly over the pear mixture. I like to gently pat it down, but its not required
7. Add sea salt: Sprinkle the sea salt evenly over the crisp topping. The sea salt enhances the sweetness of the pears and the richness of the chocolate. Don't skip this part. Trust me.
8. Bake the crisp: Place the pie dish on a baking sheet to catch any drips, and bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the fruit filling is bubbling. The aroma filling your kitchen will be heavenly! If the topping seems to brown too fast, cover the pie dish losely with foil during the last 10-15 minutes of baking.
9. Cool and serve: Remove the crisp from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 20-30 minutes before serving. This allows the filling to thicken slightly. Serve warm, perhaps with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. This'll sure hit the spot!
10. Optional step, drizzle with melted chocolate: For an extra touch of decadence, drizzle with some more melted chocolate!