Dorie Greenspan's Applesauce Spice Bars

Photo: Valerie

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter

1 cup packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon applejack, brandy or dark rum (optional)

1 baking apple, such as Rome or Cortland, peeled, cored and finely diced or chopped

1/2 cup plump, moist raisins (dark or golden)

1/2 cup chopped pecans

:Glaze:

2 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream

cup packed light brown sugar

2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 teaspoon light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9" x13" baking pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, butter the paper and dust the inside of the pan with flour. Tap out the excess flour and put the pan on a baking sheet.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt.In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the brown sugar and stir with a whisk until it is melted and the mixture is smooth, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat.

Whisk in the eggs one at a time, mixing until well blended. Add the applesauce, vanilla and applejack (optional), and whisk until mixture is once again smooth. With a rubber spatula, stir in the dry ingredients, mixing just until they disappear, then add apple, raisins and nuts. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a rubber spatula.

Bake for 23 to 25 minutes, or until the cake just starts to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the baking pan to a rack and let the cake cool.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, whisk together the cream, sugar, butter and corn syrup. Bring the mixture to the boil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently. Simmer, whisking frequently, for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Turn the bars out onto a rack, remove the parchment paper and invert the bars onto another rack, so they are right side up. Use the parchment paper as drip catcher, grab a long metal icing spatula and pour the hot glaze over the bars, using the spatula to spread it evenly over the cake. Let glaze cool to room temperature before cutting.

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About

Ultra-moist bars bursting with nuts, apples, and spices all covered by a thick, rich caramel glaze! The bars will keep for about 3 days at room temperature in a covered container. From Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan.