Apple Pie Bars

1. Prepare the Crust

Begin by giving your 9-by-13-inch cake pan a generous coating of softened butter. In a food processor, blend together the all-purpose flour, sugar, fine sea salt, and cold unsalted butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve a cup of this mixture for the topping later on. Press the remaining crust mixture firmly into the bottom and up the sides of your prepared pan. Bake in a preheated oven until golden brown and set, about 20 to 25 minutes.

2. Prepare the Topping

In a medium bowl, add the reserved crust mixture with the toasted and chopped walnuts, ground cinnamon, and ground cardamom. Refrigerate to keep it cool.

3. Make the Apple Filling

In a large bowl, toss together the tart and sweet-tart apples with the lemon juice. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, melt additional unsalted butter. Stir in the apples, ground cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg, ground cardamom, and sugar. Cook until the apples have softened and the liquid has evaporated, about 15 to 20 minutes. Allow the filling to cool slightly.

4. Assemble and Bake

Adjust the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Spread the apple filling evenly over the crust, then sprinkle the chilled walnut topping over the apples. Bake for about 45 to 50 minutes, until the topping is golden brown.

5. Cool and Serve

Allow the apple pie bars to cool completely in the pan set on a wire rack. Once cool, use the foil to lift the bars out of the pan, transfer to a cutting board, and slice into two dozen pieces.