Apple Pastry Squares

By Addie

"We have four very productive apple trees in our backyard, so I make a lot of recipes that call for apples. Even then, we'll often end up giving bushels of them away. This apple dessert is one of my family's favorites. If you're serving a larger group, I've found that it goes a little further when cut into squares rather than slices like a traditional apple pie."

Ingredients

• FILLING:
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 cup water
• 5 cups thinly sliced peeled apples
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ...................................
• PASTRY:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup cold shortening
• 2 egg yolks, beaten
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ................................
• GLAZE:
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Step 1

For filling, combine sugar, cornstarch and water in a saucepan. Mix until well blended. Add apples; heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Stir in spices and lemon juices; set aside.

For pastry, combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture is crumbly. Combine egg yolks, water and lemon juice; blend into flour. Mixture will form a ball. Divided in half.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough between two pieces of waxed paper to fit the bottom and halfway up the sides of a 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Spread filling over pastry. Roll remaining pastry to fit pan exactly; place on top of filling. Fold bottom pastry over top and press to seal. Cut a few small slits in top crust.

Bake at 400° for about 40 minutes or until lightly browned. For glaze, combine all ingredients and drizzle over the warm pastry. Yield: 24 servings.
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REVIEWS:

This recipe was very good,, however, I would not "cook" the apples next time. My husband asked me why I had used applesauce in the recipe. I use a 9 x9" pan and the pastry was just the right size. I would just mix the apples lightly with the boiled filling ingredients and pour into the pan to keep the apples slightly firm.

Although the taste was good, I have plenty of other recipes that are less hassle that I will stick with instead of this one.

This was very good the crust was real flakey. I would add a little more sugar as my husband has a sweet tooth.

I went completely off track--made it without the spices and used strawberries, also increased the pastry amount as suggested by others. Yummy!

Not enough pastry for the size of the pan. Maybe double the recipe next time and use a sheet cake pan. Family enjoyed it very much.

I loved this recipe...the filling is wonderful, crust is a bit challenging but I liked the waxed paper tip...I just made the crusts fit as best as I could, didn't even fold over the bottom crust over the top...made wonderful bars...just the right size and carbohydrate treat for a diabetic!

I make this using a 10X15 cookie sheet and 4 purchased pie crusts - 2 on top and 2 on the bottom fitting them in the pan. Also sprinkled cinnamon sugar on the top - delicious - also made 1 1/2 recipes of filling to make one this large. Worked extremely well and I will continue to do it this way. Thanks for a great recipe.

I followed the recipe and had no issues. I made this for my company and got rave reviews.

I found that there was not enough pastry for the size of the pan, I like more crust similar to a bottom pie crust. The filling was good & I too cut it into squares, the coconut gave it a nice touch, will make again with a few changes. Pat

Had trouble with the crust. I used more flour than called for to prevent sticking and still the crust stuck to the wax paper. That was the worst part of the whole recipe. But I'm glad I made the crust homemade. I do think the crust is a little on the shy side....there needs to be a bit more on the bottom crust than on the top. Had trouble folding it over and making it look nice. I used a variety of tart and sweet apples and a friend recommened adding raisins to the fruit mixture to change it up sometimes.

My drizzle fizzled! It was too thin and you couldn't even see it or taste it on the top of the crust. I wanted the nice look from the picture with the white drizzle, that's not what I got.

Overall the flavor was wonderful. I think I just need to practice with my homemade crust (wondering if I could use phyllo dough instead at least for the top crust) My first taste I thought it wasn't sweet enough..but everyone else said it was just right. I'll be making this for an event in a few weeks and it cuts into nice squares to be plated ahead of time and I'll be proud to have provided something completely homemade.

This is delicious! The pie crust is so tender and flaky. Worth the extra effort as it is definitely better than store bought crust. I did sprinkle the crust itself with a bit of flour to make it easier to roll out between the sheets of waxed paper. Scrumptious with a dollop of ice cream, too. I used braeburn apples so the tartness was just right.

This recipe is one that has been in my family for over 65 years and has the most awsome flavor, I sat and watched my mother make this many,many times and could hardly wait for it to get done. And she allways made it with fresh apples never with a canned product.

THIS RECIPE LOOKED SO GOOD TILL I PROCEDED TO MAKE THE DOUGH...I MADE IT AND DIVIDED IN HALF AND JUST SEEMED THAT THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH DOUGH TO COVER A 13 X 9 IN PAN SO I PROCEDED TO TAKE SOME OF THE DOUGH FOR THE TOP AND USE SOME FOR THE BOTTOM...THE DOUGH GOT VERY DRY AND WAS FALLING APART THAT I GOT VERY FUSTRATED AND THRU THE DOUGH AWAY AND DECIEDED TO MAKE A APPLE PIE CHRISP...WILL I TRY IT AGAIN...PROBABLY NOT

I just thought sometimes it can be just as good if we take an easier route. I also like your idea about the frosting/glaze will be giving that a try next time I have a dessert that requires a glaze! Thanks again for you help and opinion. Angie

I make this recipe too but cheat by using pre-made pastry shells and for the frosting, I melt french vanilla frosting until just melted. This forms a nice shiny glaze is is so much easier than making the drizzle!

This sounds wonderful and one I will be trying. First I have to say sometimes my time is limited but I still want to make a dessert. For this recipe why with quality of pie crusts out there can't I use that instead of making the one here? I am not saying this to say you shouldn't make your own just this would make it a quicker recipe with out losing quality. Am I wrong?

EXCELLENT! I love the filling and pastry. I made it a second time and this time I used 2 Pillsbury Crescent Dough tubes and pinched the triangles together... really, really good!!!

I have a similar recipe from my Mother and love it. I have used other fruit also - cherries, peaches, etc.Use a cookie sheet pan.
I can't wait to try this one. In response to eyball4 regarding can you use canned applies, wouldn't this add too much sugar and take it off the "healthy/diabetic friendly recipe? Just a thought.

A reviwer asked about using canned apple filling. Personally, I think they have an "off-taste", plus think of all the preservatives and thickeners used in them! You would get more of an "ooze" effect from canned apples, where fresh apples give off their own natural juices. Take a few extra minutes and use some really great sweet/tart apples like Fuji, Gala, or Honeycrisp (normally seen in the fall, but sometimes are available in the winter). You'll get a better result.

Just read this very tasty review and it's something I'm definitely going to make! I would suggest, instead of rolling the dough between two pieces of wax paper, to use parchment paper instead. Cut one sheet a little larger that will allow for an overlap on the sides of the 13x9 pan (stay with me here; I will explain the method to my madness!), which will serve as your bottom layer. Cut a second sheet of parchment that's slightly smaller. Place the dough between the two sheets of parchment, then remove the top layer of parchment paper. Slide the bottom layer neatly into the pan, tucking and fitting the dough as necessary. The dessert bakes on the parchment, and less mess to deal with after it's done baking, because you lift it out to cut on a hard surface. Voila!

Got a thumbs up from every member of our large family. The crust is a bit tricky to work with, but once you get the hang of it there is no problem

I have made them three times so far. I double the pastry. I found that the pastry was not enough . This recipe feezes extreamly well!!!

My hubby didn't care for the nutmeg, neither did I. I will make it again without the nutmeg and add a little more brown sugar. I liked the crust but it was difficult to get into the pan. Next time I will make it on a flat pizza pan - it might be interesting to cut some into squares and some into trianges.