Cranberry-Apple-Walnut Crumb Bars

One buttery mixture is used for both the crust and the streusel topping, making these bars extra easy to assemble. Dried apples, rather than fresh, lend their concentrated flavor to the filling.

Yields 24 bars

FOR THE CRUST AND TOPPING

Cooking spray

1 cup walnuts, lightly toasted

½ cup granulated sugar

11¼ oz. (2½ cups) unbleached all-purpose flour

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. table salt

8 oz. (1 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces

1 large egg, lightly beaten

FOR THE FILLING

12 oz. (3 cups) fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over

1 cup chopped dried apples

¾ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup pure maple syrup

2 Tbs. apple brandy, such as Calvados or applejack

1/8 tsp. table salt

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13inch baking pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the ends. Spray the foil with cooking spray.

MAKE THE CRUST AND TOPPING

In a food processor, finely grind ½ cup of the walnuts with the sugar. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and pulse to blend. Add the butter and pulse until it’s the size of small peas, 5 or 6 one-second pulses. Transfer 1 generous cup of the mixture to a medium bowl and set aside.

Add the egg to the mixture remaining in the food processor and pulse just until the dough begins to gather into large clumps. With your fingertips, press the dough evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Using the tines of a fork, dock the crust all over.

Bake until the edges are light golden-brown and the center looks dry, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool the crust on a rack.

Meanwhile, knead the reserved mixture with your fingertips until it becomes clumpy. Coarsely chop the remaining ½ cup walnuts and toss them into the mixture; set aside for the topping.

MAKE THE FILLING

In a medium saucepan, combine 2 cups of the cranberries with the apples, sugar, maple syrup, apple brandy, and salt. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved, the cranberries have popped open, and the mixture is thick and syrupy, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining 1 cup cranberries.

With a rubber spatula, scrape the cranberry mixture onto the crust and spread evenly. Sprinkle the reserved topping over the cranberry layer, pressing the streusel between your fingers into small lumps as you sprinkle.

Bake until the topping is golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack until just warm, about 1 hour. Carefully lift the bars out of the pan using the foil overhang, peel back the edges of the foil, and cool completely on the rack. Cut into 24 pieces. The bars will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

 

It is a quote. Fine Cooking Magazine October / November 2011