1. Preparing for Baking:

• Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C).

2. Mixing Dry Ingredients:

• In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, salt, and 1 tablespoon of sugar. This will be your spice mix.

3. Preparing the Pears:

• In a large bowl, toss the sliced pears with vanilla extract and the prepared spice mix until evenly coated.

4. Preparing the Pie Crust:

• Roll out half of the sourdough pie dough and line a pie dish with it.
• Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar over the bottom of the crust.

5. Assembling the Pie:

• Pour the spiced pear mixture into the crust-lined pie dish.
• Roll out the remaining half of the pie dough and place it over the pear filling. Trim any excess dough and crimp the edges to seal the pie.

6. Baking Preparation:

• Brush the top crust with heavy cream. This helps to create a golden-brown finish.
• Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips during baking.

7. Baking the Pie:

• Bake in the preheated oven at 425°F for 20 minutes.
• After 20 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, approximately 50-60 minutes.
• If the crust starts browning too quickly, tent the pie with foil or use a pie crust shield.

8. Cooling and Serving:

• Remove the pie from the oven and let it cool on a rack for at least 2 hours before slicing. This allows the filling to set.
• Serve with homemade whipped cream, if desired.