Apple Crumble Shortbread Bars

I bet you thought there was no such thing as a “new” apple recipe. Just take a look at the backlist of apple recipes we’ve collected on Mystery Lovers’ Kitchen! But I’m always watching for a new twist. This recipe was inspired by a cookie/bar I discovered at the Moon Dog Café in Chester, Vermont this month. (If you’re in the neighborhood, try the café’s meat-loaf sandwich—it’s amazing, and enough for two meals.) I decided to try to reproduce it, and this is the result. It combines elements from a variety of other of my recipes, with a dash of common sense in combining them.

The Crust:

1/2 lb butter (1 cup/2 sticks) at room temperature

1/4 cup soft brown sugar

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Pinch of salt

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

In a stand mixer, mix the first three ingredients.

Roll the dough into a ball, wrap, and refrigerate for 15 minutes (this makes it easier to handle).

Press the dough into the bottom of a baking pan (I used a 9” pan with a removable bottom—you do need something with sides to contain the filling, but the overall dimensions aren’t critical).

Bake in the middle of the oven for 15-20 minutes (this will be cooked, but don’t let it brown). Let cool partially.

The Apple Layer:

Peel, core and thinly slice two or three cooking apples (depending on size). I used locally-grown Empires, which weren’t very large, so it took four apples to cover the crust.

Arrange the apples on the crust in a single layer (some overlap is okay, but it shouldn’t be a thick layer). Taste the apples, and if you think they need it sprinkle with a little sugar, and some cinnamon.

The Topping:

 

1/2 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup butter, at room temperature

1/8 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

Raise the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Mix the  ingredients together to make coarse crumbs and sprinkle over the apple layer.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until the apples are soft and the topping begins to brown.

As you might guess, the apples will make these bars a bit soggy after a short while—so enjoy them quickly!

Here's the Cafe's version

Here's my version. Pretty close!

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