One of my more favorite ingredients to work with is apples. There are many different dishes, condiments, snacks, and desserts that use apples as a foundation.
With the sizzling summer heat here and apple sales upon occasion, one of my favorite summer stand-by treats is the Apple Square recipe found on Allrecipes.com. It’s pretty easy to make, can be doubled to make a big 13×9 pan, and travels very well in both hot and cold weather. It makes a quick breakfast if you are on the run. Simply warm it, add vanilla ice cream, and you have a very tasty dessert. It also works as a tasty snack and people of all ages seem to love it!
Apple Squares
Ingredients: (I doubled the ingredients to fit into a 13×9)
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped apple
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9×9 inch pan (or 13×9 if the ingredients are doubled). Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon; set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together melted butter, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup of white sugar with a wooden spoon until smooth. Stir in the egg and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture until just combined, then stir in the apples and walnuts. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. In a cup or small bowl, stir together the remaining cinnamon and sugar; sprinkle over the top of the bars.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in preheated oven; finished bars should spring back when lightly touched. Cool in the pan, and cut into squares.
The result is fluffy, not overly-sweet, and keeps for a week if it’s properly stored. A perfect way to begin and end a day.
