Creamy ricotta, buttery crust, and spiced apple layers create a comforting, autumn-inspired dessert bar.
# What You'll Need:
→ Crust
01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
→ Ricotta Layer
05 - 1 cup ricotta cheese
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - zest of 1 lemon
→ Apple Cinnamon Filling
10 - 3 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced
11 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
12 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
13 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
14 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
→ Crumb Topping
15 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
16 - 1/4 cup brown sugar
17 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
18 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
# Steps to Follow:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
02 - Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl. Incorporate cold cubed butter until mixture forms coarse crumbs. Press mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 12 minutes, or until lightly golden.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk ricotta cheese, egg, sugar, vanilla extract, and lemon zest until smooth. Spread mixture evenly over the baked crust.
04 - Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add diced apples, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until apples are tender but not mushy. Allow to cool slightly and distribute over ricotta layer.
05 - Mix flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir in melted butter until large crumbs form. Sprinkle topping evenly over apples.
06 - Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, or until topping is golden and center is set. Cool completely before slicing into bars.
