I love that next week is the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah. I know that I should say that I am looking forward to spending time with my family (which I am) and to reflecting on the past year (which I will) but it is also a wonderful excuse to bake an amazing dessert….and I love any excuse to do just that.
It is traditional to enjoy apples and honey on this holiday so I decided to refresh my peach shortbread with some apples and a drizzle of honey. If you do decide to make this, do yourself a favor and bake it as close to the time that you will be serving it as possible. No, this is not because the shortbread will spoil (in fact, it will last for a few days uncovered) but rather because you may devour the entire tray before your guests arrive.
Apple Shortbread
1 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 large egg
2 apples, peeled and thinly sliced
Honey
Preheat the oven to 375°. Spray or line a 9×13″ pan with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, baking powder, flour, salt and spices. Using a pastry blender or your hands, blend the butter and egg into the flour mixture (it will look crumbly).
Firmly press three quarters of the mixture in the bottom of the pan. Layer the apple slices over the base and then sprinkle the remaining crumbs evenly over the apples. Bake for 30 minutes or until the top and sides are slightly brown. Make sure to cool completely before cutting into slices. Drizzle with honey.
Betsy Kuller works in marketing at Best Buy, but sweets are what inspire her ardor. She uses her degree in baking and pastry to fulfill the sweet tooth of her husband, her daughter, numerous appreciative friends, and co-workers who flock to a freshly baked cookie at 8am. The goal of her blog is to inspire you to bake a few new things, experiment with a few new flavors, and try a few new techniques. Find more recipes at betsythebaker.com
