Preheat oven to 375° F. Grease an 8- x 8-inch square ovenproof baking dish with butter.

Peel pears carefully, making long full strokes with a vegetable peeler so that the pears hold their shape. Halve the pears and use a melon baller to core them. Rub lemon juice all over the pears so that they do not oxidize.

Fit pears snugly in prepared baking dish.

In a small bowl, using your fingers, combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter or margarine until you have pea-sized crumbs. Sprinkle over pears and bake, covered with foil, for 30 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer pears to a serving plate. Pour cream into the hot baking dish, stirring to get up all the browned bits. Pour sauce over pears and serve.