Tuesday, August 18, 2009

TWD: Applesauce Spice Bars

barapplesauce

This week's recipe was a simple one bowl recipe.. the kind that always gives me the most stress because I can't just dump ingredients in a bowl. Unlike the creaming recipes where there is always a set sequence of cream the butter with sugar, adding the eggs one at a time... there are just so many ways to mix a one bowler. Should the sugar be whisked with the wet or the dry? Should the egg be whisked with the sugar first? Or could all the wet ingredients be whisked together at the same time? What really produces the best texture? That is why I tend to avoid one bowlers because as much as I would love to try all the different techniques, I'm not really up for trying 5 different versions of the same recipe.

Anyway...I made half the recipe, baked in a loaf pan to get more height and used brown sugar (2/3 cup instead of 1 to cut down on sweetness) instead of white. Since I don't usually like sugar glazes, I added the apples on top for a little decoration and to make it a little easier to photograph (because I can't make brown bars look pretty). These were more cake-like that bar-like and because of the medley of spices, no one would eat more than a piece. I thought it was ok, but needed more apple flavour. I don't know if adding more apple sauce would work though because that might just make things too gummy.

Thanks to Karen of Something Sweet by Karen for choosing this week's recipe! You can find the recipe on her blog or in Dorie's book. Don't forget to check out the TWD blogroll!

21 comments:

  1. They look lovely, and I appreciate your honest review. I do enjoy one bowl recipes most of the time for convenience... you are funny.. you need more steps:)

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  2. Ha Steph you are too much :) I thought the purpose of one bowl is to have less stress? Ah, well, I love ya anyways.

    I like the studed apples on top, and I agree that the caramel thing might of made it a tad too sweet. This Fall I'm giving this recipe a go :)

    And keep on lifting your weights buddy!

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  3. i am quite the opposite, i LOVE one bowl creations... mainly because there's less to clean up afterwards. and the simplicity just calls to me. i say a little prayer to the baking gods over my concoction and call it a day.

    yours does look ridiculously lovely tho!! i was toying with the idea of slicing apples and placing them on top, but i was afraid ha.

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  4. love the way yours looks with the apples on top

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  5. I love the apples on top..sorry it was not your favorite.

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  6. Hi Steph, Really beautiful pictures, the apple pieces look really nice on top...reminds me that Fall is on it's way!!
    Peace, Stephanie

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  7. Well it looks awesome. I've found applesauce doesn't add flavor, just moisture. America's Test Kitchen did an apple cake last year that was supposed to be awesome, I'll have to see if I can dig up the recipe.

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  8. I've been wanting to try these for ahwile but I agree with you, I've always thought they looked more cake-like than bar-like. Thanks for your thoughts!

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  9. love the apples on top; wonderful texture added in.
    I can't wait for fall and all those apples to start baking & creating with.

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  10. They look gorgeous with the apples on top! Great idea to bake in a loaf pan!

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  11. I love how you baked these!

    You are right, they are more cake-like than bar-like, so I ended up making them into cupcakes.

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  12. The apples on top do make them look prettier; you are right, it's really hard to photograph something brown and have it be pretty.
    Jennifer

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  13. Fun idea for these bars. I didn't LOVE their cakey-ness, but they tasted pretty good. Love your apple topping.

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  14. Too bad you didn't love these! When I made them I definitely found them cake like, not bar like at all. The apples on top look pretty but I love how they taste when they're in the cake!

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  15. Cute! The apples on top were a nice touch. And you're so right, it's tough making brown food look nice!

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  16. Very pretty Steph!

    It looks like something that belongs in an abstract art museum! BRAVO!

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  17. The bars certainly look good! I love that you put apples on top!! And I can understand how you feel about the one-bowl recipes. I've gone through the same feelings during one one-bowl recipe!!

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  18. You're over thinking it. LOL!

    Love your apple mountains!
    ~ingrid

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  19. Your bars look perfect. I love the way you decorated it with the dried apples. YUM.

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  20. The apples on top were a perfect way to decorate these without using the glaze! Sorry these weren't a favorite for you. They were definitely more cake-like but I enjoyed them quite a bit.

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  21. the apples on top look wonderful. yeah, brown bars are hard to photograph no doubt. :)

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