Early Summer Comfort: Just 3 ingredients. I make this when I want dessert handled hours ahead to avoid heating up the house.

This easy slow cooker dessert is my kind of early summer comfort: just three ingredients, five minutes of hands-on time, and dessert quietly takes care of itself while you stay out of a hot kitchen. Pears simmer low and slow in a bubbling, vibrant scarlet berry syrup until they turn soft, translucent, and spoon-tender. It feels a little bit like a cobbler and a little bit like old-fashioned stewed fruit, but lighter—perfect for warm evenings when you still want something cozy after dinner without turning on the oven.

Serve the warm scarlet pears and syrup in small bowls, making sure everyone gets plenty of that glossy red sauce. They’re lovely on their own, but we often spoon them over vanilla ice cream, plain yogurt, or store-bought pound cake for a more filling dessert. A sprinkle of granola or crushed vanilla wafers adds a nice crunch. For adults, these pair well with hot coffee or iced tea, and for kids, a cold glass of milk makes it feel like a special treat.

Servings: 6

6 ripe but firm pears, peeled, halved, and cored

Lightly grease the inside of a 4- to 6-quart slow cooker with a tiny bit of oil or nonstick spray to help with cleanup.

Peel the pears, then cut them in half from stem to bottom and scoop out the cores with a spoon. If they are very large, you can cut each half in half again for smaller pieces.

In the slow cooker, whisk together the berry jam and water until mostly smooth. It’s fine if a few bits of fruit remain.

Nestle the pear halves into the jam mixture, cut side down if possible, so they sit in the liquid. Spoon some of the jam mixture over the tops so they’re lightly coated.

Cover and cook on LOW for 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 hours, or until the pears are very tender when pierced with a knife and the syrup is bubbling and a deep scarlet color. The pears should look soft and slightly translucent, and the liquid will have thickened into a glossy sauce.

Once done, turn off the slow cooker and let the pears sit, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the syrup to settle and thicken a bit more.

Serve the pears warm, spooning plenty of the bubbling scarlet syrup over each portion. If you like, carefully transfer leftovers (along with the syrup) to a covered container and refrigerate once cooled.

You can swap the pears for peeled, cored apples or firm nectarines if that’s what you have on hand; just keep the pieces similar in size so they cook evenly. Any red berry jam will work—strawberry, raspberry, or mixed berry will all give you that beautiful scarlet color. If your jam is very sweet, you can add 1 to 2 extra tablespoons of water to loosen the syrup a bit. For a warmer flavor, stir 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or a pinch of ground cinnamon into the jam and water mixture before adding the fruit (this technically adds an ingredient, so I treat it as optional, not required). For picky eaters, you can dice the fruit into smaller bite-size pieces so it feels more like a chunky sauce to spoon over ice cream or yogurt. Food safety tips: Make sure pears are washed before peeling, and use clean utensils and a clean slow cooker. Cook on LOW, not “keep warm,” so the dessert passes safely through the temperature danger zone. Don’t leave the finished dessert sitting on the counter for more than 2 hours; refrigerate leftovers in a covered container and enjoy within 3 to 4 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or on the stovetop until steaming hot before serving.