Ukrainian Apple Squares Food

UKRAINIAN APPLE CAKE (YABLUCHNYK)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly butter an 8 inch square baking dish.
• Sift together 1 1/2 cups of flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Cut in 1/2 cup of butter until the mixture is crumbly. Stir together the egg with the cream and gently mix into the flour until a soft dough has formed. Press into prepared baking dish. Layer the apples into the dish overlapping, in neat rows. Prepare streusel by mixing the brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Cut in 2 tablespoons butter until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over apples.
• Bake in preheated oven until apples have softened, and topping has browned, about 25 minutes.

COUNTRY APPLE SQUARES

Steps:

• Combine flour, brown sugar and cinnamon.
• Cut in butter to resemble coarse crumbs.
• Add walnuts.
• Measure 2 cups crumb mixture and set aside.
• Press remaining mixture into a greased 9" x 13" pan.
• Beat cream cheese and milk until smooth.
• Mix in egg, sugar, and vanilla.
• Pour over crumb mixture, and top with apples.
• Sprinkle with the reserved crumbs and bake for 30 minutes at 350°F.
• (Weight Watchers Points per serving: 7).

NORWEGIAN APPLE SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Cream the butter and sugar together.
• Mix the flour and baking powder together. Add to butter mixture.
• Beat together eggs and almond extract. Mix into dough.
• In a greased and floured 9x13 pan, press down one half of the dough with your fingers. It will be sticky, so you might want to oil them first.
• Mix the apples with the allspice (or you can substitute cinnamon).
• Spread the apples over the dough in the pan.
• Drop the other half of the dough over the apples and press dough down slightly. It doesn't matter if all the apples aren't covered.
• Bake for about 35 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool.
• Mix confectioner's sugar, water & vanilla to make a thin icing.
• Drizzle icing over cooled cake. Cut into squares to serve.

POLISH APPLE CAKE (SZARLOTKA)

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line a 20 x 29cm baking tray with baking parchment.
• For the filling, zest the lemon half and leave aside for the dough. Peel, core and thinly slice the apples, then squeeze over the juice of the lemon to stop the fruit turning brown. Put the apples in a large pan and add the sugar, 200ml water and cinnamon. Cook for 5 mins, then remove from the heat and leave to cool in the liquid (you'll need this later).
• To make the dough, put the flour and baking powder in a food processor or into a large bowl and pulse or stir to combine. Add the butter and mix again until the mixture is sandy. Add the sugar, egg yolks and egg, yogurt, lemon zest and vanilla extract and mix into a dough. Tip it out onto a floured surface. Bring it together with your hands and roll it into a ball.
• Split the dough in half, wrap one half in cling film and freeze for 1 hr. Roll out the other dough half so that it is big enough to fill the bottom of the lined tray. With the palm of your hand, push the dough about halfway up the sides of the tray until the whole base is covered. Prick the dough with a fork and bake in the oven for about 15 mins until it is golden and lightly springy to the touch.
• Spoon over the apple filling, with about half the cooking liquid, then set aside.
• Remove the dough from the freezer and coarsely grate, as you would a block of cheese. Sprinkle the grated dough over the apples and bake for 40-45 mins until it is golden and the topping has cooked through. Leave to cool completely, dust with icing sugar, then cut into squares. Whip the cream until thick, stir in the cinnamon and serve alongside the cake.