Apple Crumb Bars

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

1. Preheat the oven to 375⁰F (190⁰C).
2. In a mixing bowl, add the sliced apples and lemon juice and toss together. Set aside.
3. In another large bowl, sift in the flour and baking powder. Add sugar and salt and stir to combine.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Add the cinnamon, sugar, and cornstarch to the apples and mix well.
7. Spread the apple mixture evenly over the crumb base.
8. Sprinkle the remaining crumble mixture evenly over the apples.
9. Place in the oven and bake for 45 to 55 minutes.
10. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.
11. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Makes 16 bars.