After seeing versions of Smitten Kitchen's Blueberry Crumb Bars on Brown Eyed Baker and Une Gamine Dans La Cuisine in the same week, I was tempted to make them myself. However we don't get blueberries in Pakistan, and as a fan of the classic apple crumble, I decided on good old apples instead.
These little squares of apple-crumbly goodness are just as good as breakfast, a snack, and even as dessert topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Apple Crumb Bars
adapted from Smitten Kitchen
Ingredients
4 to 5 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced (you should have 4 cups of sliced apple)
1 tbs lemon juice
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ cup caster sugar
2 tablespoons cornflour
1½ cups flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ cup sugar
pinch of salt
4 oz cold butter, cut into cubes
1 small egg
- Preheat the oven to 375⁰F (190⁰C).
- In a mixing bowl, add the sliced apples and lemon juice and toss together. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, sift in the flour and baking powder. Add sugar and salt and stir to combine.
- Add the butter and egg. Using a pastry cutter or a knife, cut the butter and egg into the dry ingredients until the mixture starts to look crumbly and no large pieces of butter remain.
- Grease a sheet of foil and press into a 8x8-inch square baking dish or pan. Press half the crumble mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Add the cinnamon, sugar, and cornstarch to the apples and mix well.
- Spread the apple mixture evenly over the crumb base.
- Sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture evenly over the apples.
- Place in the oven and bake for 45 to 55 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.
- Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
