Apple Crumble Bars

By: Saloni Mehta, excerpted from Vegan Baking Made Simple

Apple Crumble Bars

By: Saloni Mehta, excerpted from Vegan Baking Made Simple

This recipe is a tribute to my ji papa who loved apple pie. I adored him greatly, and I have some of the sweetest memories of spending holidays with my grandparents as a kid that I will cherish forever. For some reason apple desserts get me so excited. I ate the entire left row that you see in the picture as soon as I wrapped the photoshoot. This recipe is a simpler version of an apple pie. I wanted to share a recipe that can be eaten as a snack, or a dessert, and these bars turned out exactly the way that I was aiming to achieve. The Granny Smith apples have a bite, and the crumble is crunchy and sweet topped with a sticky caramel sauce.

Yields9 bars

Dietary ConsiderationVegan

Ingredients

Oat Crumble Topping
1/4 cup (55 g) light brown sugar
2 tablespoons (30 g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp (65 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (45 g) old-fashioned oats
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup (80 g) vegan butter, melted and cooled
Shortbread Base
1 cup (227 g) vegan butter, cold and cut into cubes
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups (280) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon (8 g) cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
Apple Filling
2 Granny Smith apples
1 Gala apple, cut in small cubes with skin on
3 tablespoons (45 g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons (24 g) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon (8 g) cornstarch
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
Garnish
Caramel Sauce (optional)

Instructions:

Oat Crumble Topping

For the oat crumble, combine the light brown sugar, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, oats, cinnamon powder and salt in a bowl.
Give it a good mix with a spatula. Then pour the melted and cooled vegan butter into the flour mixture.
Mix everything using a spatula or a spoon. It will have a crumbly texture. You can store the oat crumble in the refrigerator until you prepare the shortbread dough.

Shortbread Base

For the shortbread, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease an 8 x 8–inch (20 x 20–cm) square baking tin with baking spray, and line it with baking paper, leaving an overhang of baking paper over the edges so it can be easily lifted out.
In a mixing bowl, combine the vegan butter and granulated sugar. Mix both ingredients using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or an electric whisk on low speed for 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides as it is mixing to make sure it’s creamy and fully incorporated.
Add the vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, cornstarch and salt to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed for 1 to 2 minutes until the dough comes together.
Press the dough into the prepared square baking tin. Use the back of a cup to level the dough, making sure it is even on all sides. Use a fork or a docker to dock the dough on all sides.
Place the prepared baking tin in the oven, and bake a shortbread base for 10 to 12 minutes.
Remove the baking tin from the oven, and let the shortbread base cool for 5 to 10 minutes in the baking tin. While the shortbread is baking, you can prepare the apple filling.

Apple Filling

For the apple filling, wash, cut and core the apples on a cutting board. You can leave the skin on. Then cut the apples into small cubes about ⅓-inch (8-mm) dice.
Transfer all the chopped apples into a clean bowl. Add the granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, cornstarch and cinnamon powder. Give it a good mix with a spatula.
Transfer the apple mixture onto the prepared shortbread base. Press the apples with the spatula to make sure they are firmly packed on top of each other. Use your hands to spread an even layer of the crumble topping, and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Remove the baking tin from the oven, and cool the bars in the tin before lifting out from the baking tin using the overhang. Drizzle caramel sauce on top of the bars if desired. Portion them into 9 square bars, and serve or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.