"Apple Crumble Bars"

This recipe my Mom and Aunt use to make.........I found it in my Mom's rip] lil' hand written notes. I remember the smell like yesterday on Saturday mornings when she was baking. She worked full time so on Saturdays she would do some baking along with my Aunt [rip].

We always had bushel's of apples and I knew it was Fall, because my Dad's favourite fruit was an apple. I swear he never got ill during his life due to eating those apples. I don't think that he missed a day without an apple. I really believe that an 'apple a day keeps the doctor away'.

I remember Bea and Graeme my brother's in laws, every year the families would exchange a gift for Christmas from one family to another and their gift was always a bushel of Cortland apples for they knew my Dad adored them.

Before my Dad would finish off that bushel my Mom would be baking all kinds of apple desserts for us to enjoy. One time when we still had our German Sheperd 'Mushka' he even had the dog eating apples.

Mom's Apple Crumble Bars

Base;

1/2 cup butter, softened at room temperature

1 1/3 cups AP flour

pinch of salt

2 Tbsp. sugar

Filling;

4 to 5 Granny Smith apples (or I use Mac's sometimes)

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

5 or 6 Tbsp. sugar

1 or 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

2 tsp. flour (I use Wonder) or cornstarch

zest of 1/2 lemon

1/2 cup jam or more (I use what I have handy in the fridge)

Grease an 8" x 8" square baking pan and line the bottom with parchment paper or wax paper.......leaving some to overhang. I do this with all my squares that I bake for easier removal.

Preheat oven to 350 deg. F.


Base;
Combine flour, sugar and salt together.
Add softened butter and mix til crumbly.
Press into the bottom of greased pan and bake for 12 min.


Filling;
Peel, core and slice apples into chunks. Combine apples, cinnamon and sugar in a large skillet. Cook this for 5 minutes over medium heat stirring occassionally. Don't over cook the apples let them still be a bit firm. Mix flour and lemon juice and pour into skillet with the apples and simmer stirring for about 1 minute til' thickened.......let cool a bit.

Take the jam and spread over base evenly and next pour the apple mixture on top evening it out.

For the crumble on top; In a separate bowl combine 1/2 cup butter that has been room softened, 3 tbsp. of sugar, 1/2 cup flour and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon. Mix well.
Sprinkle this evenly over the apple mixture in the baking pan and bake for 30 minutes or till golden brown on the top........

I know it's Fall when I pull out my leaf platters.........