Apple Crumble Bars
Posted by Natasha Mortazavi on Just Baking
I came across some delicious smelling apples on sale at the grocery store recently and couldn’t pass them up. I could only eat so many, though, and had to bake something with the rest. These apple crumble bars were a simple treat. It comes together quickly and tastes like apple pie. I’ll be making this again when the apple picking season begins.
You can use any kind of apples you like, but an apple with some tartness is generally considered best for baking.
Apple Crumble Bars
Ingredients:
For the base:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour (Using all AP flour would work too)
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
For the filling:
Approximately 5 cups of peeled, cored, and chopped apples
5 tbsp. sugar (can substitute 1 or 2 tbsp. with brown sugar)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. lemon juice (freshly squeezed!)
1/4 cup fruit jam (I used a low-sugar strawberry preserves from Trader Joe’s)
For the topping:
1/2 cup flour (I used a half cup measuring cup, and filled it about 2/3 with all-purpose flour and 1/3 with whole wheat pastry flour)
3 tbsp. sugar (I substituted 1 tbsp. with Maple Sugar from The Spice House)
4 tbsp. butter, softened
Directions:
Prepare the filling by combining the apples, sugar, and cinnamon in a large skillet or saucepan. Cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until apples are tender but still firm. In a small cup, whish together cornstarch and lemon juice. Add to the apple mixture and continue cooking. Stir constantly for 3 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8″x8″ baking dish with foil, leaving an overhang with the foil for easy removal. Grease foil.
To make the base, in a medium bowl combine flour. sugar, and salt. Mix well. Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender, two forks, or your fingers, until it resembles breadcrumbs. Press the mixture into the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until lightly browned around the edges. Remove from the oven. Spread the fruit jam evenly on the base while it is still hot. Top with the cooked apple mixture.
In a medium bowl combine all ingredients for the topping. Mix well until combined and crumbly. Sprinkle over the apple layer. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Using the foil, lift out of pan. Cut into squares and serve. (If desired, refrigerate before cutting to firm up a bit for easier slicing.)
Serve with ice cream or a tall glass of milk!
Adapted from Annie’s Eats.
