Ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg yolk (white reserved for filling)
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (we use Diamond Crystal)
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg white, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla paste or extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (we use Diamond Crystal)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, divided
1/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 ounces semisweet baking chocolate, chopped (1/3 cup)
2 tablespoons finely chopped candied ginger
2 ripe but firm Bartlett pears (14 ounces)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)
Preparation
For the Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl (or in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), whisk together butter, egg yolk, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy. Stir in flour to combine, then knead mixture with your hands a few times to form a soft, pliable dough.
Press dough evenly into bottom and up sides of a standard 9-inch pie dish. Refrigerate until firm, at least 20 minutes or, covered, up to 1 day.
For the Filling: In a large bowl (or mixer fitted with paddle attachment), whisk together butter, 3/4 cup sugar, eggs and egg white, vanilla, salt, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and cocoa until thick and glossy, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in flour just to combine, then chocolate and ginger.
Peel, halve, and core pears, then immediately toss in a bowl with lemon juice (to prevent browning). With flat sides facing down, slice pears lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slices, and fan out slices slightly (like a hand of playing cards) but do not separate. Arrange slices from one half of the pear in a single layer on the bottom of the chilled crust.
Pour brownie batter into crust, smoothing top with an offset spatula. Arrange remaining sliced-and-fanned pear halves on top of batter. Drizzle with remaining lemon juice from bowl (you should have about 2 teaspoons).
Stir together remaining 2 teaspoons sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over pears. Bake until pie is puffed and set along edges but still slightly wobbly in center, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Let cool on a wire rack until no longer hot, about 30 minutes. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature, with ice cream.
