Apple Cream Cheese Bars are dessert bars filled with sweetened apples and a layer of cream cheese, topped and baked with crumbled oatmeal and drizzled with caramel sauce.
INGREDIENTS
CRUST
1 cup (80g) quick cooking oats
3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour
2 cups (400g) packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks or 340g) butter, melted
CREAM CHEESE MIXTURE
2 packages (16 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
APPLE BLEND
4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Caramel cover, to decorate
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
SEAM
In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon.
Pour the melted butter over the mixture and mix until it crumbles.
Measure 2 cups of the mixture and set aside for topping.
Pour remaining mixture into a greased 9×13-inch baking dish. Press firmly into the bottom of the pan.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
CREAM CHEESE MIXTURE
In a large bowl, add the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Mix with a hand blender at medium speed until smooth and creamy.
With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, one by one, until they are completely incorporated into the mixture.
Set aside.
APPLE MIX
In a large bowl, combine apples, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon.
ASSEMBLY
Place the apples on the cooked rind.
Spread the cream cheese mixture over the apples.
Crumble the reserved oatmeal mixture on top.
Bake for 40-45 minutes.
Allow to cool completely, then cool for 6 hours, until overnight.
Sprinkle with caramel topping when ready to serve. (optional)