These Honey Apple Bars are filled with fall spiced apples that are layered on a honey almond shortbread crust and topped with a buttery crumble and honey caramel sauce!
1/2cupgranulated sugaror 1/3 cup honey (start at 1/4 cup and add until it gets crumbly)
1/4cupground almonds
1/2tspbaking powder
1/4tspsalt
10tbspunsalted buttercold and cut into cubes
1large egg yolk
1tbspcold water
For the Apple Filling
2 1/2cupsfresh apple slices
1tbsplemon juice
2tbspall purpose flour
1/2cuphoney
1/2tspground cinnamon
1/4tspground nutmeg
1tspvanilla extract
For the Honey Caramel
2tbspunsalted butter
1/4cuphoney
1/2cupheavy whipping cream
1/2tspvanilla extract
pinch of salt
pinch of cinnamon
Instructions
For the Crumble and Crust
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare a 8×8-inch baking pan with the non-stick coating of your choice.
For the crumb and crust, whisk together flour, sugar, ground almonds, baking powder and salt.
Next, cut in the cold butter using two forks or a pastry cutter then slowly mix in the egg yolk and cold water (if you using honey instead of sugar, add in here as well). Don't worry if the dough seems really crumbly. It should be!
Next take half of the crumble mixture and press into the prepared pan. The rest should be saved for the top of the bars.
For the Apple Filling
Stir together apple slices, lemon juice, flour, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla until combined.
To assemble, evenly add apple filling to the top of the crust.
Next sprinkle the remaining crumble over the top of the apple filling.
Bake for 30-38 minutes or until golden brown and set.
Cool bars to room temperature then cut and serve.
For the Honey Caramel
While bars bake, add butter and honey to a medium sized pot over medium heat and allow the butter to melt and combine with the honey. Once butter completely melts, stir together over medium high heat for about 5-6 minutes or until it has thickened somewhat.
Whisk in the cream and bring to a boil then remove from heat. Finally stir in the vanilla, salt and cinnamon and allow it to thicken and cool a bit. Drizzle caramel sauce over completed bars and enjoy!
Notes
Feel free to add 1 cup total of your favorite berries (strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries) and bring the apples down to 1 1/2 cups.