Hello lovelies,
I don’t know about you but nothing screams autumn to me like a spiced apple treat! Whether it’s a sweet treat or a proper desert, spiced apple in a bake is and will always be a favourite of mine.
And what pairs beautifully with spiced apple treats? Custard! It’s a match made in heaven! Warm, cold or piping hot, custard will always enhance a spiced apple treat and I couldn’t love it more.
Therefore, when I came across a bake on Pinterest which used both spiced apples and custard, you best believe it got my creative juices flowing and instantly i wanted to create my own.
Today’s recipe is inspired by the incredibly talented Jernej and his wife Maja, also known online as ‘jernejkitchen’. They shared their version of an apple custard slice and before I’d even pressed on the recipe to give it a read, I knew I had to make it.
And what better to do than make it into a shortbread bar recipe? I knew the spiced apple and custard would pair beautifully with the shortbread to create something utterly delicious – and that’s exactly what it did.
So, if you’d like to try these shortbread bars yourself, you know the drill by now. Keep on scrolling below and you’ll find today’s recipe.
Category: Sweet Treat
Servings: 16 Squares
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Bake Time: 1 Hour 10 Minutes
Overall Time: 2+ Hours
Ingredients You Need For The Shortbread Base & Top:
- 170g Of Unsalted Butter
- 105g Of Caster Sugar
- 65g Of Light Brown Sugar
- 2tsp Of Vanilla Bean Paste / Extract
- 280g Of Plain Flour
Ingredients You Need For The Custard Layer:
- 360ml Of Whole Milk
- 40g Of Custard Powder
- 2tbsp Of Caster Sugar
- 30g Of Unsalted Butter
- 1 Egg Yolk
Ingredients You Need For The Spiced Apple Layer:
- 4 Large Cooking (Bramley) Apples, Peeled, Cored & Chopped Into Small Chunks
- 1/2tsp Of Ground Ginger
- 1tsp Of Ground Cinnamon
- 50g Of Light Brown Sugar
- 1tsp Of Cornflour
How To Make The Shortbread Base & Topping:
- Firstly, gather together your equipment and ingredients, line a 8” loose-bottomed square tin with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 190C / 170C Fan / Gas Mark 4.
- Secondly, in a large bowl, using an electric whisk, beat together the 170g of unsalted butter with the 105g of caster sugar, 65g of light brown sugar and 2tsp of vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
- Next, slowly add the 280g of plain flour and mix until incorporated and a shortbread dough begins to form.
- Transfer one third of the shortbread dough into a clean bowl and using a fork, break the dough into coarse crumbs. Then, place into the freezer.
- Now, using your hands or a rubber spatula, press the remaining shortbread dough evenly across the base of the prepared baking tin.
- Using a fork, prick the dough all over (this stops the dough from puffing up whilst baking).
- Place the tin into the oven and bake for around 25 minutes, until the shortbread is golden brown.
- After 25 minutes, remove the shortbread base from the oven and set to one side to cool whilst you make the filling.
How To Make The Custard Layer:
- In a large saucepan, over a medium heat, bring 300ml of milk to a boil.
- Meanwhile, pour the remaining 60ml of milk into a large bowl with the 40g of custard powder and 2tbsp of caster sugar and using a whisk, whisk together to combine.
- Whilst whisking, continuously pour the boiling hot milk into the custard powder mix.
- Pour the entire custard mixture back into the large saucepan and cook for 3 minutes at a medium heat. Continuously stirring so that no lumps form.
- After 3 minutes, remove from the heat and stir in the 30g of unsalted butter.
- Set the custard mixture aside for 5 minutes to slightly cool.
- After 5 minutes, carefully stir in the 1 egg yolk.
- Pour the completed custard over the top of the baked and cooled shortbread base and smooth out evenly.
- Set to one side.
How To Make The Spiced Apple Layer:
- Next, in a large bowl, add the 4 chopped apples, 1/2tsp of ground ginger, 1tsp of ground cinnamon, 50g of light brown sugar and 1tsp of cornflour and mix together to combine.
- Spread the apple mixture over the custard mixture and gently press the apple mixture down into the custard.
- Remove the remaining shortbread dough from the freezer and evenly sprinkle the shortbread across the top of the filling.
- Place the shortbread bars back into the oven and bake for 45 minutes, until the topping is golden brown.
- Once baked, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the tin.
- Finally, once fully cooled, carefully remove from the baking tin and cut into 16 squares and serve.
That’s your Spiced Apple & Custard Shortbread Bars prepared, baked, cooled and sliced, ready for you to enjoy!
Notes:
- For a cleaner cut of these shortbread bars, once fully cooled, place into the fridge for 30 minutes. This allows it to harden making it easier to cut.
- These shortbread bars should last 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Once baked and completely cooled, these shortbread bars can be frozen for up to 3 months. I’d recommend taking out the freezer the night before using, put the bars into the fridge to thaw and remove from the fridge the next morning to bring the bars to room temperature before serving.
- These bars can be served cold or warm.
I’ve done many of pairings of fruit throughout my shortbread bar series but I’ve got to say, the spiced apple and custard has to be my favourite autumn inspired shortbread bar recipe to date!
Everything works as a dream together to create something so delicious that one square isn’t enough. You’ll be desperate for just one more bite.
Let me know in the comments below if you make this shortbread bar yourself and if you do, what your thoughts are on it. Are you a spiced apple & custard fan? Did these bars make you drool?
Sending you all tons of love & hugs as always,
Elle xo
