It’s been the word [and taste] on everyone’s lips lately; Comfort food. Turbulent, stressful times call for a bit of reassurance that everything truly will be okay, really, and there are few things that carry so much emotional, nostalgic, and physical importance as food. The dish or flavor that first comes to mind is so subjective, such a personal desire, I think that it would be impossible to name one all-purpose comfort food, no matter how tempting such a declaration might be.
Apple pie is about as classic and homey as they come, but I wouldn’t have named it right off the bat as a top comfort food in my book. Sure, I like a good apple pie, as I would assume that most reasonable people would too, but I don’t ever crave it. It’s not what I long for after a stressful day of work, or on a lonely rainy afternoon. It wasn’t until I sat across from my mom as she ate warm apple blintzes just last week, the smell of spices and sweet apples wafting up from her plate, that it hit me how powerful my desire for such a dessert truly was. Almost as if that one whiff awakened a hibernating beast, that need for comfort food stuck with me, driving me back into the kitchen to fill the hole in my stomach that cried out for apple pie.
Quick and Simple Apple Pie Bars
1 Cup Coconut Flour
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar, Divided
Pinch Salt
1/2 Cup Frozen Margarine, Cut into Small Pieces
5 Tablespoons Plain Soymilk
2 Crisp Apples, Peeled, Cored, Sliced, and Quartered
2 Tablespoons Corn Starch
1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
Pinch Nutmeg
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees, and lightly grease an 8 x 8-inch square baking pan. Set aside.
Place the coconut flour, all purpose flour, 1 cup of the sugar, salt, and margarine in your food processor, and pulse to incorporate. Drizzle in the soymilk, one tablespoon at a time, and pulse until the mixture comes together in a cohesive dough. Divide the dough in half, and press one half into your prepared pan with your hands. If it’s difficult to handle, lightly flour your fingers to prevent the dough from sticking to them. Make sure you get an even layer on the bottom, and then bake for 10 – 15 minutes, until lightly browned around the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes.
Meanwhile, toss the apple slices, the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a medium bowl, so that the apples are thoroughly coated. Distribute the mixture evenly over your baked crust. Crumble and distribute the remaining dough over the top.
Bake for 25 – 35 minutes, golden brown on top. Let cool, and cut at will.
Makes 12 – 16 Bars