Apple Pie Bars II

By Addie

This is the only one of the many wonderful recipes that my mother handed down to me. These delicious bars, with their flaky crust and scrumptious fruit filling, are the perfect way to serve apple pie to a crowd. -Janet English, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Ingredients

• FILLING:
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup shortening
• 4 egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 8-10 tablespoons cold water
• ...................................
• 7 cups finely chopped peeled apples
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• Dash ground nutmeg
• ...................................
• GLAZE:
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Preparation

Step 1

In a large bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks, lemon juice and water; gradually add to flour mixture, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball. Divide in half. Chill for 30 minutes.

Roll out one portion of dough between two large sheets of waxed paper into a 17-in. x 12-in. rectangle. Transfer to an ungreased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Press pastry onto the bottom and up the sides of pan; trim pastry even with top edge.

In a large bowl, toss the apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg; spread over crust. Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pan; place over filling. Trim edges; brush edges between pastry with water or milk; pinch to seal. Cut slits in top.

Bake at 375° for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Combine glaze ingredients until smooth; drizzle over bars before cutting. Yield: about 2 dozen.
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REVIEWS:

I've made this recipe several times and think it is just WONDERFUL.

Like the other commenters, I also thought it is a bit sweet as written and have since cut the sugar from two cups to just one.

My family loved them. They were a little sweet, but still great.

These were very popular with my family. I'm a brand new pie baker, so I had some trouble rolling out nice rectangles. :o) I'm hoping with practice I will get better. Looking forward to making this again!
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I made these tender morsels the first time you had them published. Now every fall, I bake them for Thanksgiving for the family. They are always gone!

Just the best ever! They melt in your mouth.

Loved them so much! Will definitly put it in my recipe files.

Glad to find the recipe on line. I had lost it and my husband did not know I was looking for it since I had not made it in awhile. Absolutely a great recipe! A regular pie does not feed as many as this will. Thank you!!

It sounds delicious. But could canned apple pie filling be used? Easier than peeling & chopping all those apples.

This recipe is delicious and fool proof.

I have been making this since it appeared in the TOH magazine-it is the best! I cannot say enough good things about this recipe. I've fixed it enough times that I have it down fairly quick. I mix the pastry ingredients in my food processor, and since I freeze apple pie filling that I make each fall, the filling is ready to go. The only labor I have is making the glaze and this is such a favorite everywhere I take it that I rely on it now.

This recipe was absolutely delicious. I would definitely make this again. I also cut it into small pieces and froze what was left.

One of the girls I worked with made this on several occasions. It was wonderful! Cant wait to make it for my family. Thank you for sharing this recipe.

Recipe could not have showed up at a better time. Just went apple picking this morning and as I did with the blueberries.. I now have so many apples.. apple pie, sauce, crisp, squares oh my.. I'll be busy.

Do you think frozen pie dough or phillo dough could be used?

These taste just like apple pie, only they're easier to take to gatherings than a pie and easier to eat, no silverware required!

Good but cinnamon was way too strong.I will make again using less cinnamon, dot filling with butter and leave off the glaze as it was too sweet.Overall a good recipe and wonderful for pot luck.