Apple Crumb Squares

Ingredients

• 1 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup(s) pecans or walnuts, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup(s) (1 stick) butter or margarine, slightly softened
• 1/2 cup(s) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon(s) vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon

Crust

• 3 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup(s) granulated sugar
• Salt
• 3/4 cup(s) (1 1/2 sticks) cold butter or margarine

Apple Filling

• 4 pound(s) green cooking apples such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and cut into 1⁄2-inch chunks
• 4 tablespoon(s) butter or margarine
• 3/4 cup(s) raisins or dried currants
• 1/2 cup(s) light or dark brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 teaspoon(s) ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon(s) cornstarch
• 2 teaspoon(s) cornstarch, combined with above-mentioned cornstarch
• 3 tablespoon(s) fresh lemon juice

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Directions

1. Prepare Crumb Topping: In medium bowl, with fingertips, mix all topping ingredients until mixture comes together. Shape into a ball; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate to use later.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease sides of 15 1/2" by 10 1/2" jelly-roll pan.
3. Prepare Crust: In large bowl, with fork, mix flour, granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. With pastry blender or 2 knives used scissors-fashion, blend butter into flour mixture until mixture resembles fine crumbs. With hand, press crumb mixture evenly into bottom of prepared pan.
4. Bake crust 20 to 24 minutes or until golden brown (crust may crack slightly).
5. Meanwhile, prepare Apple Filling: In nonstick 12-inch skillet, cook apples, butter, raisins, brown sugar, and cinnamon over medium heat 25 to 30 minutes or until apples are very tender and most liquid from apples evaporates, stirring occasionally. In cup, mix cornstarch and lemon juice. Stir lemon-juice mixture into apple mixture and cook, stirring, until mixture thickens. Remove skillet from heat.
6. Spread apple mixture over hot crust. Break Crumb Topping into chunks and scatter over apple mixture. Bake 40 minutes or until topping browns. Cool completely in pan on wire rack.
7. To serve, cut lengthwise into 4 strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 6 squares.

From Good Housekeeping Posted by Mags