The Apple Slice That’s Always a Winner

butter

🥗Healthier: coconut oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Coconut oil adds a subtle flavor and is dairy-free.

sugar

🥗Healthier: honey

💰Cheaper: brown sugar

Honey can add depth of flavor while brown sugar is often less expensive.

pie crust

🥗Healthier: whole wheat crust

💰Cheaper: store-bought crust

Whole wheat crust adds fiber while store-bought options save time.

vanilla extract

🥗Healthier: vanilla bean

💰Cheaper: vanilla flavoring

Vanilla bean enhances flavor naturally, while flavoring is often cheaper.

Into a bowl, put 2 cups of plain flour.

Sift the flour (optional).

Add 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the bowl; stir.

Add 1 cup (240 g) of cold diced butter cut into small pieces.

Rub the butter into the flour mixture with fingertips until crumbly, leaving some lumps of butter.

Whisk 1 egg and pour it into the flour mixture; stir well.

Line a 24 cm by 34 cm tin with baking paper and spray it.

Take about 2/3 of the mixture and press it into the base of the lined tin, reserving 1/3 for the top.

For the filling, add 900 g of peeled, thinly sliced apples to a bowl.

Add 1/2 cup of sugar, 1/4 cup of flour, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg to the apples; mix well.

Spread the apple mixture over the shortbread crust in the tin.

Sprinkle the reserved streusel mixture evenly on top of the apples.

(Optional) Add flaked almonds on top for crunch.

Bake in the oven at 160°C with a fan (or 180°C without a fan) for about 60 minutes, checking for tenderness of apples.

Let cool completely before icing.

For the icing, sift 2 cups of icing sugar into a bowl.

Add 2 tablespoons of milk and 2 tablespoons of cream to the icing sugar; mix well.

(Optional) Add 1 teaspoon of marzipan for flavor.

Transfer icing to a sandwich bag and drizzle over the cooled slices.

Allow the icing to harden before slicing.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens