Apple Pie Crumble Bars with Cinnamon Glaze

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C. Line a 15×15 cm baking tin with baking paper, leaving it hanging over two sides so you can lift the slab out later.

2. Mix the flour, brown sugar, salt and part of the cinnamon in a bowl, pour in the melted butter and stir with a fork until it forms moist crumbs that hold together when squeezed. Press about two thirds firmly and evenly into the tin with the bottom of a glass. Stir the oats into the remaining third and set it aside: that's your crumble.

   Add in this stepPlain (all-purpose) flour 140 gLight brown sugar 55 gSalt 1 pinchGround cinnamon ¼ tspButter, melted 95 gRolled oats 30 g

3. Bake the base for 14 min, until set and pale golden at the edges. Pre-baking keeps it crisp under the juicy apples.

4. Meanwhile peel, core and cut the apples into 1 cm dice. Toss them with the sugar, most of the remaining cinnamon, the lemon juice, cornstarch and vanilla.

   Add in this stepApples, preferably tart (whole weight) 280 gSugar 30 gGround cinnamon ½ tspLemon juice 1½ tspCornstarch 1½ tspVanilla extract ½ tsp

5. Spread the apples over the hot base, then scatter the crumble over in pea- to hazelnut-sized clumps, letting some apple peek through. Bake for 32 min, until the crumble is golden and the juices bubble thickly at the edges.

6. Let it cool completely in the tin, at least 1 h, or the bars will crumble when cut. Whisk the icing sugar, milk and the last pinch of cinnamon into a thick glaze and drizzle it over, then lift the slab out by the paper and cut into 4 bars with a sharp knife.

   Add in this stepIcing sugar 30 gMilk 1½ tspGround cinnamon ⅛ tsp