Apple Pie Bars

I cobbled together 2 recipes for these bars and we all just loved them.  Someone in our house doesnt like leftover bars and even he liked them the next day.  I think this is going to become a must make for Fall for us.

The crust and the crumble are the same so it's just one bowl and one medium saucepan. 

 

Apple Pie Bars

make 16 servings (but you know we're all eating 2!) 

Apple Filling: 

6 cups (678g) apples, peeled and diced in 1/2" pieces (from about 6 to 8 medium apples)
2 tablespoons (28g) lemon juice
2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon

12 teaspoon (or less) nutmeg

small pinch allspice
3/4 cup (149g) granulated sugar

 

Crust/Crumble: 

1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
3 cups (400 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (8 ounces or 225 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1 large egg

 

Heat your oven to 375°F (190°C). 

 

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the spices and stir to combine.  

Add the apples and lemon juice to the skillet and stir to coat in the butter mixture. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples just begin to soften.  

Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the apples and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 10 minutes. Initially, the apples will release a lot of liquid; continue to cook until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat once the mixture has become just slightly sticky. (The apples will not be fully tender.) Allow the apple mixture to cool in the pan off the heat while you prepare the crust/crumble mixture.  

 

Press a piece of parchment paper across the bottom and up the sides of an 8x8 (or 9x9) pan to create a sling for easy removal. You can butter or spray the pan too.

 

While the apples cool,  in a large bowl, combine together  sugar, the flour, baking powder, and salt. Use a fork or pastry cutter to work the butter into the flour mixture until a rubbled texture forms, then stir in the egg. Dough will be crumbly. Pat half of the dough into the prepared pan.

 

Spread the slightly cooled apple mixture over the crust. Then crumble the other half over the top.  Bake for 35-45 till the top is slightly browned and the apples are bubbling a bit.  Allow the bars to cool completely before lifting the sling from the pan and slicing into squares.  Store at room temp.