My Favorite Apple Pie Bars

Apple pie filling

1. I prefer to peel the apples for a softer filling, but you can keep the skin on if you prefer a bit more structure in the filling.
2. Cut the apples in half and remove the core with a melon baller or a teaspoon. Slice the apples into 3 mm thick slices.
3. Place the apple slices in a large bowl and toss with the lemon juice to prevent the apple slices from browning.
4. Add the lemon zest, 50g / ¼ cup sugar, salt, vanilla, spices, and rum / apple cider. Toss to coat the apples in the sugar and spices. Set aside for about 1 hour. While the apples are macerating, prepare and bake the shortbread crust.
5. Once the apples have been set aside for an hour, carefully transfer the top ⅔ / 67% of the apple slices into a different bowl (about 600 g). Make sure not to mix the apple slices, since we want the juices and ⅓ / 33% of the apple slices to remain in the large bowl. Set this aside until the caramel is made.
6. Add the cornstarch to the bowl with the ⅔ of apple slices and toss to coat. Set aside until needed.

Making the caramel base (start making this after making the streusel topping and while the crust is cooling)

1. In a large dry stainless steel pot, sprinkle the sugar on the bottom. Heat over medium heat and stir the sugar frequently until the it starts to melt and caramelize. The sugar might become lumpy, but keep stirring it to ensure even caramelization.
2. Do not leave the caramel unattended, as this will step goes very quickly and the sugar might burn in seconds.
3. As soon as the caramel starts to turn a dark amber color, add the butter and stir to melt it in the caramel. Add the apple juices and the ⅓ of the apple slices into the caramel as well.
4. Mix to stir the mixture until the caramel has completely dissolved.
5. Close the pot with the lid, and turn down the heat to a simmer. Simmer the mixture for about 5 minutes to soften the apple slices.
6. Remove the lid and continue to simmer the mixture for a further 10 minutes. Break and crush the cooked apple slices while cooking. Heat and stir the mixture until you have a thick caramel base with crushed apple pieces.
7. Remove the pot from the heat and let it cool down slightly. Add the remaining apple slices with the cornstarch to the apple caramel base just before adding it to the crust. Mix gently but well to coat the apple slices with the caramel sauce.

Shortbread crust (make this while the apple filling is macerating)

1. Line a 9 inch metal square pan with parchment paper. Use butter to make sure the parchment paper sticks to the pan. The parchment paper will make it easier to remove the bars after baking.
2. In a bowl, place the softened butter, salt, and spices (if using). Mix with a spatula to make sure the butter is creamy and soft.
3. Add the sugar and vanilla, and mix well with the butter. The mixture will be grainy (due to the sugar), but the sugar should have mixed well into a creamy (but grainy) mixture.
4. Add the flour and gently mix it in with a spatula. Be careful not to overwork the dough.
5. When the flour is mostly mixed in and the dough is in clumps, bring it together to form a soft dough with lightly floured hands.
6. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky (if handled without a dusting of flour on top).
7. Press this dough into the bottom of the prepared baking pan. Make sure the crust has an even thickness throughout and is packed tightly. Prick the whole surface with a fork.
8. Place the crust in the fridge for about 20 minutes, while the oven preheats.
9. Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C.
10. Once the oven is preheated, and the crust is chilled, bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, in the lower ⅓ of the oven (i.e. the rack below the middle rack). While the crust is chilling and baking, prepare the streusel topping.
11. Once the crust is partially baked, remove from the oven and let it cool down. The crust should not brown, but will set and look dry on the surface.

Streusel topping (make this while the crust is chilling and baking)

1. Place the sugar, flour, salt, oats, and spices (if using) in a bowl. Mix to combine well.
2. Add the butter, and with a pastry cutter or fork, rub the butter with the flour until you have a crumbly mixture. It'll resemble coarse bread crumbs, and will just barely form a dough when you squeeze the mixture in your hands.
3. Place this in the fridge until you need it.
4. Chop the pecans and set aside.

Assembly

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C.
2. Once the caramel apple base is cooked and is mixed with the remaining apple slices and cornstarch, and the crust has cooled down, and the streusel topping is ready to go, you can assemble the apple crumble pie bars!
3. Add the apple pie filling into the baking pan over the baked crust. Press it down to make sure there are no large gaps in the filling. Otherwise the filling will cook unevenly.
4. Sprinkle the streusel topping and pecans on top. You don’t have to use all of the streusel topping and pecans, but you can if you like.
5. Place the baking pan in the oven on the rack just below the middle rack, and bake for 35 - 45 minutes, or until the streusel topping starts to turn golden brown in color.
6. Remove the pan from the oven and let the pie bars cool down completely before cutting. Ideally, let the pie bars rest for about 4 hours to let the filling set.
7. Cut into bars / squares with a sharp knife and serve with whipped cream or ice cream.