Apple Crumble Bars
Check out these DELICIOUS apple crumble bars! They’re made with a straightforward shortbread crust for both the base and crumbly top, filled with a luscious apple cinnamon center.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield:9 servings
Ingredients
For the crust (top and bottom parts):
- ½ cup (100grams) sugar
- 2 cups (240grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ⅔ cup (150grams ) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 1 large egg
For the filling:
- 5 medium apples (approx. 500grams), peeled, cored, and diced into small pieces*
- 3 Tablespoons (45grams) unsalted butter
- ¼ cup (50grams) white sugar
- ¼ cup (45grams) light brown sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground allspice
- A pinch of salt
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease and line a 9-inch (23 cm) square pan with parchment paper, ensuring there’s an overhang to easily lift the bars out later.
- To prepare the shortbread-like dough, start by combining all the dry ingredients. Use your fingertips to blend in softened butter until the mixture is smooth. Add the egg and mix thoroughly until the dough forms a cohesive ball.
- Next, transfer half of the dough into the prepared pan and press it evenly into the base using the palm of your hand, a glass, or a measuring cup.
- To make the apple filling, start by melting butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add diced apples and cook for 5-8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the apples are tender. Stir in white and brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and a pinch of salt.
- Pour in lemon juice and cook for an additional 2 minutes until the apples are soft and the mixture is sticky. Add flour, mix well, and let the mixture thicken.
- Remove from heat and allow it to cool for a few minutes. Spoon the filling onto the prepared base in the pan and spread it evenly using the back of a spoon.
- Sprinkle the remaining dough evenly over the apple filling. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the crumble topping turns a golden brown.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and let it cool completely to allow the filling to set. Use the parchment paper sling to lift the bars out of the pan onto a cutting board, then slice into squares and serve!
Notes
- Feel free to choose your favorite apples such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, Golden Delicious, or others. Ensure you dice the apples into small pieces.
- If you prefer a different flavor, substitute cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice with the seeds scraped from one vanilla pod. This creates a delightful vanilla apple crumble bar, inspired by French cuisine!
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