Ingredients
Scale
- For the Crust and Topping:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened and cubed
- For the Apple Filling:
- 4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- For the Caramel Sauce:
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Prepare the Shortbread Base: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy removal. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the softened butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1 cup of this mixture for the topping. Press the remaining mixture firmly and evenly into the bottom of the prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are just starting to turn a light golden brown.
- Prepare the Apple Layer: While the crust bakes, prepare your apple filling. In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with 2 tablespoons of flour, 2 tablespoons of sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Ensure every apple slice is evenly coated in the spice mixture. Once the crust comes out of the oven, layer the apples over the hot crust, spreading them out into an even layer.
- Simmer the Caramel Sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the brown sugar, 4 tablespoons of butter, and heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, whisking constantly. Let it simmer for about 3 to 5 minutes until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and sea salt. Pour about half of this caramel sauce directly over the apple layer in the pan.
- Assemble and Final Bake: Sprinkle the reserved 1 cup of crust mixture over the top of the apples and caramel. Place the pan back into the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. The topping should be golden brown and the apples should be tender when pierced with a fork. Remove the pan from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes.
- Finishing Touches and Slicing: Drizzle the remaining caramel sauce over the top of the warm bars. For the best results, let the bars cool completely in the pan before lifting them out using the parchment paper overhang. Once fully cooled and set, use a sharp knife to cut them into 16 squares. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes