Ukrainian Apple Squares Recipes

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.

UKRAINIAN APPLE SQUARES

Steps:

• Stir together flour, sugar, and baking powder. Cut in butter till pieces resemble small peas. Combine eggs, sour cream, and vanilla; add to flour mixture. Stir till well mixed. Spread half of the batter into greased 9 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes. Spread Apple Filling over layer in pan. Carefully spoon remaining batter atop. Bake at 350°F for 35 minutes. When cool sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut into squares. Makes 16.
• FOR THE APPLE FILLING: Peel, core, and finely chop 1 1/2 pounds cooking apples. In a bowl combine the finely chopped apples, 1/2 cup raisins, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

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.

CREAMY APPLE SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350*.
• Combine cake mix and butter; mix until crumbly.
• Reserve 2/3 cup of crumbly mixture for topping.
• Stir brown sugar into remaining mixture.
• Cover bottom of ungreased 13x9 inch pan with brown sugar mixture. Pat down.
• Arrange apple slices over base.
• Blend sour cream and egg; spread evenly over apples.
• Sprinkle topping mixture over all.
• Sprinkle cinnamon over top.
• Bake at 350* for 25 to 30 minutes of until topping is golden brown and bubbly.
• Serve warm.
• Refrigerate leftovers.
• Note: to increase visual appeal, I sometimes dust a little powdered sugar over the top under the cinnamon.

DANISH APPLE SQUARES

Steps:

• PASTRY: Sift together flour and salt. With a pastry blender or two knives cut in shortening.
• Separate egg, putting egg yolk in measuring cup. Add milk to measure 2/3 cup.
• Slowly mix in to the flour mixture, do not ovemix. Divide pastry in half.
• Put first half of pastry on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle 1 cup cornflakes over pastry, then spread apple mixture over first layer of pastry, leaving an inch around the edges. Put second layer over top, Press together around the edges.
• Beat egg white and spread over top of pastry.
• Cook in moderate oven (350F) until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Cool slightly.
• ICING: Add enough water to make a paste. Drizzle over top.

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.

APPLE SLICE SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Whisk 2 cups flour and salt together in a bowl. Cut shortening into flour mixture using a pastry blender or a fork until crumbly.
• Whisk water, eggs, and lemon juice together in a separate bowl; stir into flour mixture until dough forms a ball. Split dough into halves; roll each half into about a 9x13-inch rectangle. Press 1 rectangle into the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Place apple slices in a large bowl; add sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, and cinnamon. Toss apples to coat; spread over crust. Cover apple filling with remaining crust, piecing together any scraps to cover any holes. Cut several slits into top crust for ventilation while cooking.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges are browned and crisp, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Cool to room temperature before cutting into squares, about 30 minutes.