easier than pie … Dairyland Sour Cream Apple Bars

I’m still trying to work my way through a boatload of apples I picked a few weeks ago. Applesauce, cakes, fritters. A pie once or twice. These things are making a dent but I have to keep going. I’m not sure how many times I can google “recipes that use a lot of apples” and expect different results but recently, I had a new idea based on a mediocre slice of pie: apple bars. Something buttery, crumbly and full of apple flavor. Something creamy would be wonderful too. I was thinking cream cheese, much like my German Apple Cheese Torte but in a bar form. That used hard to find quark cheese but honestly, anything in that creamy, dairy family would be good – crème fraiche, sour cream, mascarpone, ricotta. Hmmmmmm.

I found a recipe in an old Wisconsin community cookbook for “Dairyland Sour Cream Apple Bars” that looked promising. To be fair, it was the “dairyland” that drew me in. Something about that word conjured up visions of milk maids and a creamy richness I found irresistible. I excitely dug out the simple ingredients – butter, flour, brown sugar, apples, walnuts, sour cream. I pressed the dough into the pan, topped it with the sour cream filling and sliced apples and sprinkled the nut crumble on top. As they baked, the house filled up with a delicious aroma. I excitedly cut into the pan and … blah. The most bland thing I’ve ever tasted. The apples were still crunchy and flavorless, the crumble flat and boring. The whole 9”x13” pan went straight into the garbage. Such a disappointment.

I took another look at the recipe, intent on amping up the flavor. Lemon zest and/or juice went into the crumble, the sour cream layer and the apples as well as salt. Baked goods need salt. I sautéed the apples first with sugar and spices to give them a kick start and added a little cornstarch to absorb any juices. I also used a smaller pan for a thicker bar packed with more filling. The recipe is a little more involved than the original, a little, but well worth the effort. These actually taste good. Great, in fact. They were quite the hit at Thanksgiving this year and worthy of the “Dairyland” moniker.

STRESS THERAPY BAKING FACTOR: EASIER THAN PIE. It’s true. Crumble bars have a lot of the elements of pie but are far easier to pull off. A buttery crumbly layer topped with creamy sour cream, sweet/tart apples and more buttery crumbles. They really can’t be beat and kids love them.

Other apple recipes: Apple Pear Crisp, German Apple Cheese Torte, Classic Apple Pie, Simple Apple Cake, Apple Cider Compote and an Orchard Party, Simple Apple Tarts, French Apple Pie, Salted Caramel Apple Pie, Cider Apple Pie, Cider Donuts, Fresh Apple Fritters, Chunky Applesauce Cake (plus a few more below)
Eight years ago: Pumpkin Bundt Cake
Seven years ago: French Apple Tart
Six years ago: Southern Cheese Straws
Five years ago: Kale & Squash Salad
Four years ago: Apple Cider Rolls
Three years ago: Port Wine Cheese Log
Two years ago: Caldo Verde
Last year: Turkey Egg Drop Soup

DAIRYLAND SOUR CREAM APPLE BARS
Makes one 9″x9″ pan, about 2 dozen squares
Firm apples, preferably a mix of sweet and tart – like Granny Smith mixed with Jonathan or Golden Delicious. Skip the McIntosh and Red Delicious. The first bakes up far too soft and the later is useless. These tend to soften over time so try to eat them within a day of making and store in the refrigerator for best results.

for the crumble dough:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
½ teaspoon fresh lemon zest
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1” pieces
½ cup chopped walnuts

for the apple layer:
4 medium firm apples (a mix of sweet and tart)
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
¼ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
pinch of kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cornstarch

for the sour cream layer:
1 ½ cups sour cream (full fat preferred)
¼ cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1. Preheat oven to 350° Line a 9”x9” pan with a criss-cross of foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.
2. For the crumble dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, lemon zest and salt.
3. Add the butter, toss to coat and work between your fingers to fully incorporate into the flour mixture. The mixture will be crumbly and slightly soft.
4. Reserve 1 cup of this mixture and set aside for later.
5. Pour the remaining crumble mixture into the prepared pan and press to cover the pan bottom and pack down tightly.
6. Bake for 15 minutes.
7. Pour the reserved 1 cup of crumble mix into the bowl, add the walnuts and set aside until needed.
8. For the apple layer: Peel, core and chop the apples into ½” pieces. You should have about 3 cups.
9. Over medium-high, melt the butter in a large skillet.
10. Add the chopped apples, sugar, cinnamon, allspice and salt; stir to combine.
11. Sauté the apples until they soften slightly and the sugar dissolves, about 3-4 minutes.
12. Add the lemon juice and vanilla, give a stir, then sprinkle the cornstarch on top, stirring to combine. Set aside to cool slightly while you make the sour cream layer.
13. For the sour cream layer: in a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, sugar, allspice, egg, vanilla and lemon juice until combined.
14. Pour the mixture over the partially baked crust, smoothing evenly and top with the apples.
15. Crumble the reserved nut/dough mixture on top.
16. Bake for 25 minutes.
17. Remove the pan from the oven, cover loosely with foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes until the crumble is golden brown.
18. Cool on a wire rack until room temperature then refrigerate for at least 2 hours to firm.
19. Using the foil sling, carefully remove the chilled bars from the pan and cut into squares with a sharp knife, wiping the blade clean between cuts. The bars keep, refrigerated up to 3 days.

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