INGREDIENTS:
3 large apples, grated
1/2 cup margarine
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup butterscotch chips
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Cream together margarine and sugar; blend in eggs, yogurt, milk and vanilla. Sift dry ingredients together and blend into creamed mixture. Add grated apples and butterscotch chips. Spread batter into a 9-inch square baking pan which has been coated with a butter flavored vegetable spray. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool and cut into squares.
YIELD: 25 Squares
selected by Ilana
7 comments:
Ilana, mine also came out cake-like; I was sort of expecting them to, but a blondie consistency would have been delish! Maybe leaving out the yogurt would make them more blondie-like. I substituted peanut butter chips for the butterscotch since butterscotch still makes me think of the awful toothpaste or fluoride treatment that my dentist used to use. The apple and peanut butter were a good combination. The only thing that I didn't really like about this recipe was that I thought it tasted sort of like a Passover recipe; Howard did too.
I was also surprised by the soft, cake-like texture. However, I believe my bars were undercooked because I tried laura's and hers were less gooshy.
We used toffee chips instead of butterscotch but they were undectable in the final product.
What kind of apples did everyone use? I used 1 Pink Lady and 2 Granny Smiths. I don't know if they apple variety would make a difference in the taste or texture.
My dad LOVED these bars but I was underwhelmed. In the end, several pieces went uneaten.
I was also expecting something more blondie or dessert like, maybe something in the realm of an apple brown betty bar. So, I was disappointed when they came out more cake-like, more like a zucchini bread. I had them out on the dessert table at my Rosh Hashana party, but they were not a big hit. I think they would be better served as a breakfast/brunch bread. However, I made a double batch for the party and brought most of the leftovers in to work, and they were eaten in a second with great enthusiasm! If I make them again I think I would add more butterscotch chips. They were too subtle. I used a variety of apples: Macintosh, Granny Smith, and Gala.
I'm a little late, b/c of Hurricane Wilma but it's better late than never, right?
I have to say that I wasn't in love with this recipe. My bars also came out soggy, and I couldn't taste the granny smith apples that I used.
I substituted chocolate and peanut butter chips for the butterscotch, which was just too overwhelming. I wanted to substitute caramel flavoring, which I thought would go nicely with the apple taste, but I didn't know how to do that. I like the cinnamon substitution idea. I never knew there were such things.
In the end, I don't think I would make this recipe again. We have so many others that I have liked much more.
I, too, was surprised by the cake-like crumb -- I think seeing "BARS" in the name conditioned my expectations -- but I found the pillowy texture appealing. (That much grated apple and yogurt must add too much moisture to the batter to keep it from acting like a true cookie dough...at least that's my theory.)
I used 2 Granny Smiths and 1 Macintosh (a freebie in the apples 'n' honey kit the PTA gave out at work), and generally liked how they performed, especially after a quickie grating in the Cuisinart. I added a little cinnamon to the batter because it was raining, and I felt like a comforting aroma. (Do you know what I mean?)
Like Amy SR, I'm not wild about the 'scotch, so I poured the chipless batter into the pan and did one strip of butterscotch chips, one strip of cinnamon chips, and one of basic chocolate. The whole thing looked like the flag of whatever country Cookie Monster calls home, but the chocolate chips were by far the hands-down winner. Eating in front of the TV, as usual, Jeremy and I carved out the center strip and left ugly little sideburns down the outside. (Are we the only ones who eat like animals on most nights?)
All in all, thumbs up to Ilana for a yummy treat that reminded me of this cake my mom used to make.
I, too, was surprised by the cake-like crumb -- I think seeing "BARS" in the name conditioned my expectations -- but I found the pillowy texture appealing. (That much grated apple and yogurt must add too much moisture to the batter to keep it from acting like a true cookie dough...at least that's my theory.)
I used 2 Granny Smiths and 1 Macintosh (a freebie in the apples 'n' honey kit the PTA gave out at work), and generally liked how they performed, especially after a quickie grating in the Cuisinart. I added a little cinnamon to the batter because it was raining, and I felt like a comforting aroma. (Do you know what I mean?)
Like Amy SR, I'm not wild about the 'scotch, so I poured the chipless batter into the pan and did one strip of butterscotch chips, one strip of cinnamon chips, and one of basic chocolate. The whole thing looked like the flag of whatever country Cookie Monster calls home, but the chocolate chips were by far the hands-down winner. Eating in front of the TV, as usual, Jeremy and I carved out the center strip and left ugly little sideburns down the outside. (Are we the only ones who eat like animals on most nights?)
All in all, thumbs up to Ilana for a yummy treat that reminded me of this cake my mom used to make.
It was great reading everyone’s comments! I wanted to post sooner but wasn’t able to… but it is fun to be back in the world of cooking and baking in my new apartment. In addition to this recipe, I made 2 soups, and apple crisp and pumpkin muffins just in the last week. CRAZZY!
In all of New York City I couldn’t find butterscotch chips, so I, too, used peanut butter chips. Being the PB lover that I am, it was perfect for me, save for the additional calories I consumed before diving into the recipe by snacking on half the bag. But, luckily, I saved enough for the bars.
Like most of you, I was expecting a “bar” or “blondie” consistency rather than a cake, but mine also came out rather cakey. I served them for my new book club and while everyone commented that they were great, I personally didn’t love them. Didn’t stop me from eating several pieces, though.
I had fun grating the apples – by hand – no cuisinart for me. I used all red delicious. I used a 9x9 pan and they still came out about 2 inches thick.
The aroma in my apartment was delicious.
Oh yes, I have pics – Las, I’ll email them to you….
Post a Comment