Apple Squares

I've always loved squares.  In fact, when I brought these to a friend's house last week, I had the pleasure of eating one of these apple squares while drinking coffee out of a square mug.  Ok, I'm lying.  I drank the coffee out of the square coffee mug after I ate the apple square.  They were so good that I couldn't wait for the coffee to brew.  Did I mention that the square mug was pink?  I loved that mug, but I love these apple squares more. 

I found this recipe a few years ago when I was trolling through my grandmother's recipe box.  I really love these apple squares, not only because they taste good, but because when I got the recipe, my grandmother told me about how she pulls the handles off her rolling pin to roll out the dough in the pan.  If you were there to hear her story, you would like this recipe too, just for that reason.  Since you weren't there, you will just have to stick with the fact that they taste great and feed a lot more people than a standard apple pie. 

I've made a few changes to the original recipe.  It said to use shortening, and I use all butter because I happen to like butter (although I have made it with just Crisco and a mixture of Crisco and butter with success); it called for more sugar, but I've found that a half of a cup and 1 tablespoon does the trick; and I added lemon extract because it seems to make it extra special.  Don't be afraid of the copious amount of instructions ... I'm just a fan of details!


Notes:
I like to use a mixture of apples for this recipe.  I generally use about 3 medium-sized Granny Smith apples and 2 medium-sized Gala apples.  The dough can be a little sticky at times.  If you are lucky enough to have a rolling pin that you can pull the handles off of, you can make this like my grandma does and roll it out in the pan!  If not,  roll the dough out between a piece of lightly-floured parchment paper and a piece of saran wrap on top.  Use a standard jelly roll pan as a guide for the size of this recipe (mine is 15.5"x10").  Roll out the bottom piece until it is close to the size of the jelly roll pan and then I transfer it to the pan.  If the dough is sticking to the saran or the parchment paper when it is time to transfer it to the pan, pop it in the freezer for a few minutes and then the saran/paper come off easily.  Pull of the saran wrap first, then lay the exposed side of the crust in the pan and pull off the parchment paper.  Since sometimes the juices can leak during baking, I roll the top crust out so that it just covers the apples and then fold the bottom edges up over the top crust like I'm sealing an envelope.  You can use a little water to seal the two crusts together if needed. 

Don't skip on the icing!  The moisture from the icing helps to soften the egg whites just a little so they don't turn into dust when you cut the squares.  I haven't given an exact amount of lemon extract to add because you should flavor it to your taste.  If you hate lemon, then leave out the extract!   

Ingredients:
1 egg
milk
2 ½ cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup and 1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, cold
5-6 medium-sized apples (6-7 cups of peeled and thinly sliced apples)
1-2 teaspoons cinnamon, to taste
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1-2 tablespoons milk
drop of lemon extract

Yields about 20-25 apple squares, depending on how you cut them.

Make the crust:

Separate the egg.  Place the whites in a separate bowl and refrigerate for use later.  Place the yolk in a liquid measuring cup that has a 2/3 mark.  Beat the egg yolk with a whisk until it is light and foamy.  Add enough milk to make 2/3 cups of liquid.  Set aside.

Sift together the flour, salt, and 1 tablespoon of sugar.  Cube the butter and cut it into the flour using two knives or a pastry blender until the butter is pea-sized.  Add the egg mixture and stir just until the dough begins to come together.  Divide the dough, and press it into two discs, one of which is slightly larger than the other.  Wrap and refrigerate them for 1 hour or until chilled. 

Alternate food processor instructions:
Cube the butter, wrap it, and place it in the freezer for 30 minutes.  Combine the flour, salt, and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a food processor with the metal blade.  Pulse a few times.  Add the frozen butter and pulse until the butter pieces are the size of large peas.  Add the egg mixture, and pulse a few times until the dough begins to come together.  Divide the dough, and press it into two discs, one of which is slightly larger than the other.  Wrap and refrigerate them for 1 hour or until chilled. 

Assemble and Bake:

Set the bowl with the egg whites on the counter so that they can begin to come to room temperature, while you're assembling the giant apple square.  Peel and slice the apples, and toss them with the cinnamon and sugar.  Taste one apple slice and make sure that there is enough cinnamon for you.  Line a jelly roll pan with a piece of foil, leaving a two-inch overhang at each end.  Take out the larger piece of dough from the refrigerator and preheat your oven to 400°F.  Begin to roll out your bottom crust (see note for rolling/transfer instructions).  If you notice that the edges of your dough disc are cracking while you are rolling it, let it sit on the counter for a few minutes to warm up a little.  Once your bottom crust is in the ballpark of 15.5 inches by 10 inches, transfer it to the foil-lined jelly roll pan (unless you rolled it out in the pan).  Leaving a 1-inch border, even overlap the apple slices on the crust so that they resemble shingles.  Roll out the other piece of dough so that it is about the same size as the area that the apples cover.  Place over the apples and fold the 1-inch edge of the bottom over the top crust all the way around, like you're sealing an envelope.  If the dough doesn't seem to be sticking together, you can use some water on your fingertips to help seal the crusts together.  Press down firmly, but gently, along the seam to make sure it is sealed.  Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.  Spoon the beaten egg whites over the top crust, and smooth with a spatula.  It's okay if it doesn't evenly cover the entire crust.  Bake at 400°F for 30-40 minutes or until the crust and egg whites are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center does not meet much resistance from the apples. 

The Extra Touch:
After you remove the giant apple square from the oven, prepare the icing.  Stir the confectioner’s sugar with 1 tablespoon of milk and then add some lemon extract.  If needed, add the second tablespoon of milk a little at a time until it is of drizzling consistency and lump free.  Drizzle over the top (it will still be warm).  You have a few drizzling options:  1) use a spoon; 2) put it in a Ziplock bag, and snip off just the tiniest bit of the corner; or 3) use a piping bag. If you like a lot of icing, use all of it.  If you like just a little, use half of it.  Just promise me that you will use it!

Cut It:
Once your giant apple square is cool, set your jelly roll pan next to a cutting board and pick it up using the foil overhang, and quickly transfer it to the board.  Use a sharp knife to cut it into squares (or rectangles if you like them better!).  You will have 20-25 apple squares, depending on how you cut them. Pin It