Apple Pastry Squares

Total Time

Prep: 30 min. Bake: 40 min.

Makes

24 servings

Updated: Oct. 01, 2022
"We have four very productive apple trees in our backyard, so I make a lot of recipes that call for apples. Even then, we'll often end up giving bushels of them away. This apple dessert is one of my family's favorites. If you're serving a larger group, I've found that it goes a little further when cut into squares rather than slices like a traditional apple pie."

Ingredients

  • FILLING:
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 cup water
  • 5 cups thinly sliced peeled apples
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • PASTRY:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup cold shortening
  • 2 large egg yolks, beaten
  • 1/4 cup cold water
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • GLAZE:
  • 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
  • 1 tablespoon whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon butter, melted
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  1. For filling, combine sugar, cornstarch and water in a saucepan. Mix until well blended. Add apples; heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Stir in spices and lemon juices; set aside.
  2. For pastry, combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture is crumbly. Combine egg yolks, water and lemon juice; blend into flour. Mixture will form a ball. Divided in half.
  3. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough between two pieces of waxed paper to fit the bottom and halfway up the sides of a 13x9-in. baking pan. Spread filling over pastry. Roll remaining pastry to fit pan exactly; place on top of filling. Fold bottom pastry over top and press to seal. Cut a few small slits in top crust.
  4. Bake at 400° for about 40 minutes or until lightly browned. For glaze, combine all ingredients and drizzle over the warm pastry.

Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 131 calories, 6g fat (2g saturated fat), 19mg cholesterol, 56mg sodium, 17g carbohydrate (8g sugars, 1g fiber), 1g protein.