Whole-Wheat Apricot Bars with Almond Crumble
- MakesMakes 16 bars
- Cook Time2 hours
- Active time plus cooling40 minutes active, plus cooling
To create apricot bars packed top to bottom with flavor and texture, we start with a buttery dough made from equal parts all-purpose and whole-wheat flours, then add ground toasted almonds, sugar, warm spices and vanilla. The dough then is divided: a portion is pressed into the baking pan to create the bottom crust, while the rest becomes the crisp, pebbly crumble topping. Apricot jam, used as the filling, can be one-dimensionally sweet, so we brighten it with a generous measure of lemon zest. (If you prefer cherry or strawberry jam, they work well, too.) Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to four days.
Don’t forget to refrigerate the crumble topping while the bottom crust bakes. If it’s room temperature, the bits tend to melt in the oven and the topping will be less crumbly.
Step 1
Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the middle position. In an 8-inch square metal baking pan or glass baking dish, distribute the almonds in an even layer. Toast in the oven until lightly browned and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes, stirring once about halfway through. Transfer to a small plate and let the almonds and the pan cool completely.
Step 2
Mist the cooled baking pan with cooking spray, then line with two 7-by-14-inch pieces of kitchen parchment placed perpendicular to each other and with excess hanging over the edges of the pan. Mist the parchment with cooking spray.
Step 3
In a food processor, combine the 54 grams (¼ cup) white sugar, the brown sugar and 46 grams (½ cup) of the toasted almonds. Process until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Add both flours, the vanilla, cardamom, allspice and ½ teaspoon salt. Pulse until well combined, 5 or 6 pulses. Scatter the butter over the dry ingredients and pulse until the mixture resembles wet sand, 8 to 10 pulses, then process until the dough comes together in large clumps, about 1 minute.
Step 4
Transfer 265 grams (1½ cups) of the dough to a medium bowl and add the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar and the remaining almonds. Using your hands, toss, working in the sugar and almonds while also pinching the dough to form clumps the size of small grapes (it’s fine if the bits are not uniform); refrigerate uncovered.
Step 5
Break the remaining dough into bits, scattering them in the prepared baking pan. Using your fingers, press the dough into an even layer. Bake until lightly browned and just set, about 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven to 325°F. While the crust is baking, in a small bowl, stir together the jam, lemon zest and remaining pinch of salt.
Step 6
Scrape the jam mixture onto the center of the cooled crust and spread in an even layer. Remove the crumble from the refrigerator and sprinkle evenly over the jam, breaking it into pieces no larger than ½ inch. Bake until the topping is golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, 1½ to 2 hours. Using the parchment overhang as handles, lift the bars out of the pan and set on a cutting board. Cut into 16 squares.
