Apple Streusel bars

Apple desserts are one of my very favorite kinds of desserts. Anything apple just brings me back to that home comfort. I love anything from apple pie, apple crumble, apple crisp, apple muffins, and well anything. I have only ever made apple pie a few times though, as my husband hates anything with apple or any other fruit in it as a dessert. He always says "I only like eating fruit as fruit". I usually hate making something only that I like, because than it means I will be the only one eating it. I finally gave in and just made these anyway and sent them to work with him.

I was actually worried about how these would turn out, so I didn't like mixing photos, because I figured they'd be a flop and that they wouldn't be making their appearance on the blog. I didn't think they would turn out because I had diced the apples versus slicing, but I believe I diced them small and thin enough that they all still baked properly. Apple is one of those fruits, (And I believe it's why my husband does not like fruit desserts) if you do not cut it correctly or thin enough, then it won't bake properly, and may still be a bit crunchy or chunky. Well my husband did try one of these, and he liked it. Well if I make these again, though they were good, I would much rather thin slice the apples, I think that would make them even better. I like to remake recipes, and do things different from the time before, improve them, perfect them. In school I made something very similar it was actually in our school restaurant, on the dessert menu. It was an apple cheesecake streusel bar with cinnamon ice-cream! I need to make that at home, it was amazing. I very much wish I possessed an ice-cream machine in hand though!

The inspiration for this recipe came from Lovin' from the oven although I did a few things differently from her.

Also I doubled the recipe, I used a 9x13 pan as well as a 8x8. I like a thinker crust, so that's why I doubled it. I made one recipe first, and after I lined the 9x13 pan with foil, and the crust, I decided it wasn't thick enough for a bar dessert. I made the recipe a second time, made the 9x13 thicker, and still had a lot of crust left over. If you've been following this blog for a hot minute, you know, I do not like to waste anything. So I scrounged around for a smaller pan, and the 8x8 worked perfectly!

 

Before the glaze.

 

 

 

 

 

In one pan of bars I drizzled the glaze, and on

the other I coated it evenly fully across.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recipe:

 

Ingredients

 

SWEET PASTRY:

• 2 c. flour
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 c. real butter, softened (no substitutions!)
• 1 egg, beaten

APPLE FILLING:

• 1/2 c. white sugar
• 1/4 c. flour
• 1 tsp. cinnamon (I used about 3 teaspoons.. I LOVE cinnamon)
• 4 c. (about 3 medium) sliced, peeled baking apples (I used 4 granny smith apples)

GLAZE:

• 2 c. powdered sugar
• About 3 Tbsp. milk (whole milk is best)
• 1 tsp. almond extract (I used vanilla extract)

To prepare crust, mix flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or a fork until you have pea-sized crumbles. Gently mix in beaten egg.

Line a 9×13 baking dish with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Gently pat about 2/3 of the crumb mixture onto the bottom of the dish. Preheat oven to 350 and set aside.
To prepare apple filling, slice apples. Combine the flour, sugar, and cinnamon together in a bowl. Toss with apples and spread apples out on prepared crust. Sprinkle reserved crust mixture over apples evenly and bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes (mine took just less than 50 minutes). When finished, allow to cool completely.

To prepare glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, almond or vanilla extract, and enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Place glaze in a Ziploc bag and cut off a very small portion of one of the corners. Drizzle glaze over cooled pastry and allow to harden (you can place it in the freezer to hurry things along). Cut into bars and serve.