These apple crumble bars are rich, gently spiced and perfect for autumn.
Ingredients
Makes 8-12 bars
For the crumble and crust pastry:
- 250g plain flour
- 160g butter, cubed and chilled
- 70g caster sugar
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- pinch of salt
For the filling:
- 4-5 apples (firm apples), peeled, cored and cubed
- 30g caster sugar
- 25g plain flour
- 60g hazelnuts, crushed
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C, grease a 20cm square dish, and line it with parchment.
- To make the crumble and crust, mix the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt together, then rub in the butter until the mixture looks like fine sand. Bring it together into a dough, cover with cling film, and leave it to rest in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
- When ready to assemble, break off a third of the dough and set it aside. Roll out the remaining dough into a thin sheet, trim it neatly, and press it into the prepared dish to form the base.
- In a separate bowl, combine the cubed apples with sugar, hazelnuts, lemon juice, flour, and a little cinnamon, mixing well so the fruit is evenly coated. Spread this mixture over the base.
- Take the reserved dough and pinch it into pea-sized pieces, scattering them loosely across the apples. Sprinkle brown sugar over the top, then bake for 40–45 minutes, until the crust is golden and slightly crisp.
- Allow the bars to cool in the tin before cutting into squares. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream for dessert, or pack them into a lunchbox as a sweet snack.
Chef Tips:
- Know the flavour of the apples and adjust the sugar according to their flavour. If they are sweet reduce the sugar slightly for the filling or if the apples are tart add a little more sugar.
- Resting the dough allows the gluten to relax making it easier to handle and prevents shrinkage.
