{Apple Bars}

Our kids are addicted to fruit bars, you know the ones that look like pillows and have a fruity sort of paste in them. God only knows what that paste is made of, Jack can eat 3 a day and that adds up to a fair bit of mystery fruit flavoured paste.

I've been thinking for a while about making an alternative, this is my first attempt and they are actually really good if I do say so myself, and easy, if I'm going to have to make a batch every week then it also needs to be easy.  

I really didn't fancy having to stew the apples and so grated them which worked beautifully, I might add some oats next time for a bit of extra texture and goodness but I'm pretty happy with these and so are our little men, which is what counts on this occasion since they were my target market, I'll feel much happier popping one of these into their lunchboxs.

...the bars
190g butter, softened
3/4 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
2 1/4 cups plain flour
1/2 heaped teaspoon cinnamon
2 apples, grated

In a mixer or by hand beat the butter with the sugar and vanilla until pale and creamy.

Add the flour and cinnamon and mix until it becomes a crumbly dough. Give it a squeeze and see if it holds together if you think it needs it add a splash of water.

Set aside 1 cup of the mixture, tip the rest into a lined slice tin. Press down firmly, grate the two apples over the top.  Crumble the remainder of the mixture over the apple.  Bake 35 - 40 minutes at 180 degrees.