Apple Pie Bars

Easy as Apple Pie? I've never thought a pie was easy! But I did find this recipe to be a tasty treat for a group refreshments and similar to the taste of apple pie. Two pans made ample servings for 30 people with a salute to back-to-school traditions of an apple for the teacher. I used a mixture of Honey Crisp and Fuji apples.

Apples have many traditions and lore. Since fall is often the harvest time for apples they are a natural for fall flavors. There have been stories and lore of apples from the beginning of time - Genesis story of the forbidden apple, poison apples in fairy tales, and  for the teacher.  The tradition of Apple for the Teacher begin in Denmark and Sweden when poor families would 'pay' the teacher in apples and potatoes (and we think teachers' wages are low now!).

The only apple native to North America is the crab apple, so that makes me especially glad that Johnny Appleseed started the movement that now gives us 2500 varieties to select from.

APPLE PIE BARS

Crust Ingredients:
cooking spray
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup packed brown sugar
2 ½ cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp. kosher salt

Filling Ingredients:
6 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
juice of ½ lemon
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. kosher salt

Topping Ingredients:
1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup packed brown sugar (I lightened this, used ⅔ cup)
½ tsp. kosher salt
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) butter, melted
caramel, for serving

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 9"x13" pan with parchment then grease with cooking spray. In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add flour and salt and mix until just combined.
2. Press into bottom of prepared pan. Bake until lightly golden, 20 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, toss apples, lemon juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt together. Spread apples over crust.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pecans, brown sugar, and salt. Stir in melted butter until coarse clumps form.
5. Sprinkle crumb topping over apples and bake until top is golden and apples are soft, about 1 hour.
6. Let cool at least 15 minutes then slice into squares and drizzle with caramel before serving.

Looks good even on a paper plate!