Dulce de Leche Apple Streusel Bars

I decided to make dulce de leche this morning. Later I decided to look for a recipe using apples and dulce de leche, because Jay liked some apple cupcakes I make him before, and I gave most of these to Jay and his family.

Ingredients:

Base and Streusel:

• 3/4 cup (88 grams) brown sugar 
• 2 tablespoons (40 grams) honey
• 3/4 cup + 3 tablespoons (210 grams) coconut oil
  [or 1 cup (225 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature]
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1.66  cups (208 grams) whole wheat flour (or all-purpose flour)
• 1.5 cups (140 grams) old fashioned oats (or whatever kind of oats you have)
  

Apple Filling:

• ~ 5 cups apples, peeled, cored and diced (I used about 21 ounces of apples)
•  2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 teaspoons flour (or cornstarch)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups (370 grams) dulce de leche, slightly warmed in the microwave (I used all of this recipe)
  

 

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9" x 13" pan with a piece of parchment paper, or spray well with cooking spray. 
2. In stand mixer, blend together the sugar, honey, and coconut oil until well combined.
3. Add the cinnamon, salt, and baking soda and blend until well combined.
4. Add the flour and oats and continue blending until thoroughly combined.
5. Pat about 3/4 of the mixture onto the bottom of the prepared pan, reserving the rest for topping.
6. Mix the cinnamon and flour together.
7. In the mixer bowl, mix the apples, cinnamon and flour until well combined. Add the vanilla, and mix in well.
8. Spread the apple mixture over the crust in the bottom of the pan.
9. Warm the dulce de leche as needed, spread or drizzle over the apples.
   
   
   
   
10. Sprinkle little bits of yhe remaining oat/flour mixture over the top of the dulce de leche as the streusel, and lightly pat down the crumbles.
11. Bake the bars for 25 minutes or until the top is lightly browned. (I baked my bars for about 5 minutes more at 400 degrees convection to get a bit more browning.)
    
12. The bars may appear rvery soft when you take them out of the oven, but they will firm up in the refrigerator.
    
13. Let the bars cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, then place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours to firm up.
14. Cut the bars into squares, and place in an airtight container.
15. Store the bars in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
    
    

 

Carole's Notes:

We both liked these! 

The recipe is lightly adapted from https://www.texanerin.com/dulce-de-leche-apple-streusel-bars/