Apple season is in full swing, and farmers markets
have a full array of beautiful apples – Northern
Spy, Honeycrisp, Gala, Cortland, Macoun, Braeburn, Cortland and more. Each has
a slightly different taste and texture, but all are crisp, juicy and delicious. Lured by
their bright red color, I went for the Gala apples, which have a mellow
flavor and juicy yellow flesh. I usually buy tart Granny Smith apples for pies,
because their robust flavor really shines through and stands up to the pastry.
I decided to make my
favorite apple bars, a recipe that’s in my cookie book, The Good Cookie. The bars are anchored by a pastry crust, and
topped with an apple filling enriched with sour cream. The secret ingredient,
though, is a little apple juice concentrate, which heightens the
apple flavor.
If you want, you can make your own concentrate by reducing apple juice until it
has a syrupy consistency. Serve the bars warm, topped with vanilla ice cream,
whipped cream or whipped crème fraiche.
