Apple Pie Squares, the recipe as promised
Of course there is a story behind the recipe. Last football season the Notre Dame tailgate in September (2009) was one for the record books. The tailgate, not the game. Anyway, it was a night game so I believe we started the tailgate around one o'clock in the afternoon. Plenty of time to socialize. Beautiful weather. Oh, I remember it fondly and well. The tailgate next to us was hosted by a Purdue professor and his sweet wife, Denise. Both of their sons were there, one was still on campus but the other was out gainfully employed. The boys always want their mom's apple pie squares, so naturally she had a nice full tray of them. Enough to share with their tailgate neighbor who had enjoyed enough mojitos to just jump right in and inquire about them (the neighbor would be me-the DD can have a drink if she's not going to drive for eight hours or so). A great big vintage aluminum jelly roll pan of iced apple pie squares. Heaven.
She e-mailed me the recipe and let me preface it by saying that it was passed down to her and it is truly old-school pitch-in/church dinner/tailgate fare. Nothing modern about it, but no one cares after the first bite. Sara and Kelly's boyfriends joined us this past weekend for the Purdue/IU game and I believe they were responsible for a whole row of squares.
If you've never rolled out a pie crust, this might seem kind of crazy. The crusts cover the full sheet. You can do it. Either be super patient, use lots of flour so your crust doesn't stick and have a "spotter" to help you lift the crusts OR patch whatever crumbles. You cover it with icing. Perfect or not, it will taste the same (good!). That's the thing with baking and me. I can bake anything, but I'm probably not going to win any food styling awards. Just not a talent of mine. I'm forty seven. No trouble admitting I have my strengths and my weaknesses. Can't bowl. Not very good at cleaning windows. Sometimes should think before I speak. I can, however, cook.
So here you go. Enjoy!
Apple Pie Squares
Crust
3 3/4 C flour
3/4 C unsalted butter (cold)
3/4 C crisco (at least now it is trans-fat free)
1 tsp salt
1 egg yolk and milk to measure 3/4 C
Filling
2 C cornflakes, measured then crushed to sprinkle over crust (someday I'm trying frosted flakes)
10 C apple slices (peeled and sliced nice and thin)
1 1/4 C sugar
1 T cinnamon
Icing
1 1/2 C powdered sugar
milk to thin
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix flour and salt, cut in butter and shortening until mixture resembles small peas (pulsing in a food processor works well). Add egg yolk and milk. Mix until dough forms a ball. Divide dough in half. Roll each portion large enough to cover the jelly roll pan (with a little up the sides and a little hanging down to crimp together). The recipe says to roll it the crusts out on foil, I used parchment and dusted it with plenty of flour. Line the pan with one crust and press up the sides of the jelly roll pan. Leave the other crust for the top.
Mix together the apple slices, sugar and cinnamon. Spread cornflakes evenly over bottom crust. Place apples evenly atop cornflakes. Top with second crust and crimp edges together. Bake for 45 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. When cool mix milk into powdered sugar to for an icing glaze and spread on top of pie. Cut into squares to serve.
She e-mailed me the recipe and let me preface it by saying that it was passed down to her and it is truly old-school pitch-in/church dinner/tailgate fare. Nothing modern about it, but no one cares after the first bite. Sara and Kelly's boyfriends joined us this past weekend for the Purdue/IU game and I believe they were responsible for a whole row of squares.
 |
| just glazed/iced |
 |
| a repeat, but yummm! |
If you've never rolled out a pie crust, this might seem kind of crazy. The crusts cover the full sheet. You can do it. Either be super patient, use lots of flour so your crust doesn't stick and have a "spotter" to help you lift the crusts OR patch whatever crumbles. You cover it with icing. Perfect or not, it will taste the same (good!). That's the thing with baking and me. I can bake anything, but I'm probably not going to win any food styling awards. Just not a talent of mine. I'm forty seven. No trouble admitting I have my strengths and my weaknesses. Can't bowl. Not very good at cleaning windows. Sometimes should think before I speak. I can, however, cook.
So here you go. Enjoy!
Apple Pie Squares
Crust
3 3/4 C flour
3/4 C unsalted butter (cold)
3/4 C crisco (at least now it is trans-fat free)
1 tsp salt
1 egg yolk and milk to measure 3/4 C
Filling
2 C cornflakes, measured then crushed to sprinkle over crust (someday I'm trying frosted flakes)
10 C apple slices (peeled and sliced nice and thin)
1 1/4 C sugar
1 T cinnamon
Icing
1 1/2 C powdered sugar
milk to thin
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix flour and salt, cut in butter and shortening until mixture resembles small peas (pulsing in a food processor works well). Add egg yolk and milk. Mix until dough forms a ball. Divide dough in half. Roll each portion large enough to cover the jelly roll pan (with a little up the sides and a little hanging down to crimp together). The recipe says to roll it the crusts out on foil, I used parchment and dusted it with plenty of flour. Line the pan with one crust and press up the sides of the jelly roll pan. Leave the other crust for the top.
Mix together the apple slices, sugar and cinnamon. Spread cornflakes evenly over bottom crust. Place apples evenly atop cornflakes. Top with second crust and crimp edges together. Bake for 45 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. When cool mix milk into powdered sugar to for an icing glaze and spread on top of pie. Cut into squares to serve.
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