Apple Custard Bars! The autumnal answer to lemon bars, these Apple Custard bars consist of sweet and creamy apple cider-infused custard atop a brown sugar shortcrust, then smothered in a spiced apple topping.
Apple Custard Bars
Quite often, I find myself thinking of popular or classic recipes and how I can adapt them for each season. That's exactly how these Apple Custard Bars came to be! A daydream about Lemon Bars {don't you have those??} gave way to thoughts of creamy bars with an autumn twist, and a few hours of kitchen experimentation later, I had these babies sitting in my kitchen begging for sweater weather.
Basically, they're lemon bars gone apple picking. A creamy custard base is infused with spiced apple cider for those warm fall flavors, and baked atop a simple brown sugar shortcrust. But the thing that really takes these bars over the top is the sweet and sticky apple topping made with fresh grated apples.
How to Make Shortcrust
When I was mulling over ideas of how to execute these Apple Custard Bars, I thought about maybe using a graham cracker crust, but ended up going with a shortcrust {barely adapted from here} instead for the stability factor since the custard that goes on top is heavy and I didn't want the bars to crumble.
Shortcrust is actually fairly simple to make. It's the same type of pastry used in quiches, tarts and sometimes even pies. It's made by combining flour, softened butter and sugar, {either with a pastry cutter or in a stand mixer, as I did} and then pressing the dough down into the baking vessel of your choosing.
In this instance, I decided to use brown sugar instead of granulated sugar because I think it gives a bit more of that warm, caramelized flavor that's associated with fall, but you can use granulated sugar for shortcrust as well. For shortcrust that is going to contain a filling that needs to be baked, it's best to par-bake it until it's lightly golden before filling it.
Apple Custard Filling
The creamy middle of the bars is a simple custard-y mixture made of eggs, sugar and spiced apple cider for that apple flavor. A dash of flour allows the custard to thicken it up and have more structure while the baking soda helps it puff up a bit. If you like the custard layer a bit thicker, you can double the custard portion of the recipe, however, you'll have to account for the extra volume in the cook time.
Spiced Apple Topping
I'm going to go ahead and come clean... I didn't plan for these bars to have a topping. The top didn't look pretty once it was all baked up, so I thought it might be a good idea to cover it up with an additional, equally delicious layer.
I threw together some butter, shredded apple, cinnamon, brown sugar and maple syrup in a saucepan and let it bubble for a few minutes to thicken up and allow the moisture to draw out of the apple. In the end? The mixture became a syrupy, caramelized treat that would be just as good on ice cream or pancakes as it is as a "toupee" on these bars. It may have not originally been intentional, but it sure was a good addition!
Getting Perfect Slices
The key to getting beautiful slices out of anything with the texture of these bars is letting it cool completely and allowing it to chill before cutting. I know it's hard to wait, but that's the only way you'll get clean, satisfying slices! The edges, which become a perfectly mouthwatering golden brown during baking, should also be trimmed to expose the gorgeous layers on the side of each square. Just think of them as the cook's treat!
One the entire pan is cool and chilled, carefully pull the entire dessert out {I just used a spatula and carefully lifted it out} and place it on a cutting board. Use a large, sharp knife to to cut the entire square in thirds, then rotate it a quarter turn and cut it in thirds again to get 9 perfect slices out of the 8x8 inch square. Trim the edges if desired, and top each piece with about a teaspoon of the sauteed apple mixture.
It may sound like a lot of steps, but these Apple Custard Bars are really pretty easy to make! And they're a great way to use up some of the apples from your fall haul, if you're lucky enough to have some!
What other classic recipes can you think of that deserve a fall twist?? Let me know in the comments and maybe they'll be my next kitchen experiment!
Apple Custard Bars
Ingredients
For the Shortcrust:
- 1 stick unsalted butter softened
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
For the Custard Filling:
- ⅔ cup condensed milk {about half a 14 ounce can}
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup spiced apple cider
- 1 ½ teaspoons flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
For Spiced Apple Topping
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3 cups apple peeled, cored and shredded on a cheese grater {I used Gala, but you can use your favorite}
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare an 8x8 inch pan by lining with parchment, leaving the edges hanging over the side. {I actually didn't line my pan and it came out fine, but if you're worried about sticking, using parchment will ensure it's easy to remove.} Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or using a pastry cutter, combine all of the shortcrust ingredients until the mixture comes together in large clumps {it'll still be crumbly, but it should stick together when pressed.}
- Press the dough into the pan and pat it down into an even layer. Using the tines of a fork, poke the crust all over -- this will help keep it flat as it bakes.
- Bake for about 20 minutes or until the edges begin to turn golden brown. Remove from oven.
- Meanwhile, make the custard filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, whisk together the condensed milk, eggs, and spiced apple cider until fully combined. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk together until it's incorporated.
- Pour the mixture over the par-baked crust and bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is lightly browned and the custard is just set -- it should only jiggle a tiny bit in the center when it's done. Remove from oven and cool completely. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until chilled.
- In the meantime, make the apple topping: In a small saucepan or skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add the shredded apple, brown sugar, maple syrup and cinnamon and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally until the apples have released their liquid and the mixture is syrupy but slightly thickened. Cool completely.
- When ready to serve, cut into bars and top each one with a heaping teaspoon of the apple mixture. Keep leftovers refrigerated.
