These Apple Bars are an ode to the type that goes easily into a school lunchbox, the kind you want to take as a sweet treat to work or better yet, come home to at the end of a tough day and eat as a way to use up the surplus of apples found in Fall. Have you ever made Apple Bars? Do you prefer a pie topping crust or a crumble? I'd love to know your thoughts in the comments below!
I would dream of coming home and eating apple pie. I always thought the world was little more magical with it in existence instead of the plain apples we were always given. Now this story has point, I swear, in my teens I came home and my mother declared she had made an apple slice, and for a heartbeat I thought it might just be apple pie. Instead it was Apple Bars, which frankly disappointed me until I ate it and then I was thankful for her effort. It was so good that it became a regular feature each fall and I enjoyed it to the point of requesting it every once in a while.
Why you'll love these
Apple flavor front and center
These don't much sugar because we want those apple flavors to be the star of the show.
Melt in your mouth crust
The buttery shortbread crust and crumble topping comes together quickly to provide a firm base for the apple filling and the crumble topping makes this feel homey whilst still being tasty!
How to prepare Apple Bars
- Make that shortcrust base: Toss all the dry ingredients together in a bowl.
- Butter crumble: Add the cubed butter and cut into the flour mixture until it resembles rough breadcrumbs.
- Base it: Pour two thirds of the shortcrust mix and press firmly to smooth out.
- Bake: Bake the crust until golden.
- Cook the apples: Place the apples and sugar into a saucepan on low heat until lightly soft.
- Toss em: Add the apples to the cooled shortcrust base and spread out evenly.
- Crumble: Press the remaining shortbread mix together and crumble over the apples evenly.
- Golden bake: Bake until golden.
- Cool down: Remove and allow to cool fully.
- Slice and serve: Slice it up evenly and serve. Enjoy!
Tips for the best Apple Bars
Sweetening up your apple bars without sugar: There isn't much sugar in these bars to try and keep that natural apple flavor as strong as possible so the best option is sweeter apples available in your area which will naturally sweeten these up without any extra sugar.
Keeping the bars: These will keep for 5 days if covered and refrigerated.
More apple recipes you'll enjoy
Pwdin Eva - Welsh Eve’s Pudding
How to make:
Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350F.
Place the flours and confectioner’s sugar in a bowl and stir to combine. Make a well in the center and add the butter. Combine with a fork until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
Pour two thirds of the crumb mixture into the base of a slice tin and flatten down tightly. Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until lightly golden on top. Remove and set aside to cool.
Place the apples, sugar and water into a saucepan on low to medium heat and cover.
Cook until simmering and the apples are beginning to look translucent on the edges, approximately 5 minutes.
Spoon the apples over the base and spread out evenly.
Press the remaining crumb mixture together to form large crumbs and sprinkle over the apples.
Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until lightly golden on top.
Remove and allow to cool completely.
Remove from the tin and slice evenly.
Serve.
Apple Bars
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: Makes 16 pieces 1x
- Category: Bars & Slices, Fall
Description
Partly inspired by Apple Crumble Slices you'd find in a New Zealand bakery and partly by my mother's homemade apple slice, this buttery melt-in-your-mouth recipe makes the perfect envelope for the cooler months of Fall.
Ingredients
240 grams / 1 ½ cups plain flour
18 grams / 2 tablespoons corn flour
50 grams / ½ cup confectioner’s/icing sugar
170 grams / 6 ounces butter, chilled and cubed
5 medium gala or granny smith apples, peeled, cored and cubed
60 milliliters / ¼ cup water
30 grams / 2 tablespoons superfine/caster sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC/350F and greaseproof a slice tin.
- Place the flours and confectioner’s sugar in a bowl and stir to combine. Make a well in the center and add the butter. Combine with a fork until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.
- Pour two thirds of the crumb mixture into the base of a slice tin and flatten down tightly. Bake for approximately 10 minutes or until lightly golden on top. Remove and set aside.
- Place the apples into a pot with the water on medium-low heat, add in the sugar and stir through. Cook for a further 5 minutes or the apples begin to look translucent on the edges.
- Spoon the apples over the base and spread evenly.
- Press the remaining crumb mixture together and sprinkle over the apples. Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until lightly golden on top.
- Remove and allow to cool.
- Slice and serve.
Notes
Sweetening up your apple bars without sugar: There isn't much sugar in these bars to try and keep that natural apple flavor as strong as possible so the best option is sweeter apples available in your area which will naturally sweeten these up without any extra sugar.
Keeping the bars: These will keep for 5 days if covered and refrigerated.
Recipe by Roamingtaste
Nutrition
- Calories: 190 calories per serve
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