Bernice's Danish Apple Bars

I suppose most of us...when we remember our Mothers in the kitchen...think of one special culinary creation that stands out from the others.  See this recipe?  This is mine.  Danish Apple Bars.  This was my Mother's specialty...the dish everyone requested...for birthdays...potlucks...you name it.  I treasure this recipe,  preserved in her own delicate handwriting...and whenever I make them, I think of her...and miss her.  She was an amazing woman.  Someday...when I have the time to do her justice...I'll introduce her to you.  For now, I'll share her recipe with you.


DANISH APPLE BARS


Pastry:


2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold butter
1/2 cup vegetable shortening (aka Crisco)
1 egg, separated
milk
4 or 5 large cooking apples, cored, peeled and sliced extremely thin (you may want to use a mandolin-thingy)
1 cup crushed cornflakes
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon


Icing:


1 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp water
1/2 tsp vanilla

Sift together the flour and salt.  Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter and shortening until it resembles coarse cornmeal.  (I never get it that fine, but that's OK.  This dough is very forgiving.)


Combine the egg yolk with enough milk to make 2/3 cup liquid.  Add to the flour-shortening mixture and stir until moistened.

Roll out half the dough into a rectangle about 17" X 12".  Place in a 15 1/2" X 10 1/2" jelly roll pan...letting excess dough hang over edges.


Sprinkle crushed cornflakes over dough.

Arrange apple slices evenly over cornflakes.


Combine sugar and cinnamon.  Sprinkle over apples.

Roll out second half of dough to approximately the same size as the pan.  Place over apples.  Moisten edges with water.  Bring the bottom dough up and over the top, press edges to seal (I stroke the edges with a moistened butter knife).


Beat the egg white until frothy and brush over the top of pastry.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, with oven rack about 4 1/2" from the bottom of oven.  Cool on rack.

Here's a little peeky-peek at my kitchen, with the freshly baked bars cooling on the bake center.  You'll notice that the bake center's top is granite...and a bit lower than the adjacent tile counter-top.  We remodeled our kitchen several years ago...and I designed the bake center this way...just so I would have a comfortable place to make these.  That's how much this recipe means to me. 

When the bars are cool, combine the powdered sugar, water and vanilla.  Spread over top of pastry.


Makes 25 absolutely deliciously decadent bars.




Now...put a couple of these on a pretty Fiestaware plate...grab a glass of ice-cold milk...and go watch "Dancing with the Stars."  That's what I'm gonna do!