Apple Crumble Bars

By sianshan

from http://dessertfirst.typepad.com/dessert_first/

Ingredients

• Filling
• 3 large tart apples (about 1 3/4 lbs total)
• 3 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Crust
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 egg, room temperature
• Streusel
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced
• 1/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped

Preparation

Step 1

Make the filling: Peel, core, and chop the apples in 1/2-inch cubes. Set aside in a bowl

Melt butter in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the apples and sauté for about 8 minutes until the apples are semi-soft.

Add sugar, lemon juice, flour, and cinnamon to the apples and stir to combine.

Cook until mixture begins to bubble, then turn heat to low and cook for another 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Transfer filling to a bowl and let cool while you make the crust.

Make the crust: Line a 9 by 13 inch pan with aluminum foil, leaving enough to hang over the edge and act as handles to remove bars after baking. Grease foil.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl and set aside.

In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar together on medium speed for several minutes until light and fluffy.

Add egg and mix to combine.

Add flour mixture and mix to combine.

Pour the dough into the prepared pan and gently press into the bottom of the pan and about 1/4” up the sides, making sure it is level. Set pan aside while you make the streusel.

Make the streusel: In a stand mixer, combine sugar, flour, and salt and mix to combine.

Add butter and mix until crumbly and the butter pieces are very small.

Add pecans and mix just to combine.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread cooled apple filling evenly over the crust, leaving about 3/4” between the pan sides and the filling.

Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the filling.

Bake for about 35 minutes until the top layer is golden.

Cool completely on wire rack before removing. Cut into 1” x 3” bars.

Yield: 39 1” x 3” bars