These bars use whole spelt flour throughout, which keeps the crumble light while adding a mild, nutty depth that plain flour can’t match.
The filling is straightforward: diced apples cooked briefly with brown sugar and cinnamon until just soft, then layered over a pressed spelt base. A drizzle of homemade caramel goes on before the crumble topping, so the caramel sets into the filling rather than pooling on top.
You can bake these ahead, slice them cold, and they hold their shape cleanly. The texture stays firm enough to eat by hand, soft enough to feel like dessert.
A standard 8-inch square tin is all you need.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Whole spelt flour adds nutty depth without extra effort
- Caramel sets between layers so bars slice neatly
- One tin, minimal washing up, ready in under an hour
- Keeps well for four days, great for baking ahead
Ingredient Notes
- Whole spelt flour: Gives the crumble a nuttier flavour and slightly denser bite than white spelt. You can swap in white spelt flour for a lighter texture, but avoid regular all-purpose flour as the crumble loses character.
- Apples: Bramley or Granny Smith apples hold their shape best and balance the sweetness of the caramel. Sweeter varieties like Gala will work but the filling may taste flat.
- Unsalted butter: Used cold and cubed for the crumble and separately melted for the caramel. Keep the crumble butter cold until you rub it in – warm butter turns the topping greasy.
- Double cream: Stirs into the caramel to make it pourable but thick enough to set. Single cream will make the caramel too thin to layer cleanly.
- Light brown sugar: Used in both the filling and the crumble for consistent caramel notes. Dark brown sugar works too and adds a slightly more treacly flavour.
- Rolled oats: Adding oats to the crumble topping gives extra crunch and texture contrast. Use certified gluten-free oats if you need to reduce gluten cross-contamination.
Spelt Caramel Apple Crumble Bars
Description
Whole spelt flour gives the crumble a nuttier bite than regular flour, and the caramel layer sets between the apple and the topping so every bar holds its shape when you cut it.
Ingredients
Spelt Base and Crumble
Apple Filling
Caramel Layer
Instructions
Prepare the Base and Crumble
- Heat the oven to 180 C / 355 F. Grease an 8-inch square baking tin and line it with baking paper, leaving overhang on two sides for easy lifting.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the whole spelt flour, rolled oats, light brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir briefly to distribute evenly.
- Add the cold cubed butter and rub it into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse, uneven breadcrumbs with some pea-sized chunks remaining. Do not overwork it.
- Press just over half of the crumble mixture (about 230 g) firmly and evenly into the base of the prepared tin. Reserve the rest for the topping.
- Bake the base for 10 minutes until it looks set and just starting to turn pale gold at the edges. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Cook the Apple Filling
- While the base bakes, place the diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and cornstarch into a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 6 to 8 minutes until the apples have softened slightly but still hold their shape and the juices have thickened. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
Make the Caramel
- In a separate heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the brown sugar and stir once to combine, then stop stirring.
- Let the mixture bubble gently, swirling the pan occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes until it turns a deep amber colour and smells slightly smoky.
- Remove from heat and carefully pour in the double cream - it will bubble vigorously. Stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add the flaky salt if using. Set aside for 2 minutes to thicken slightly.
Assemble and Bake
- Spoon the apple filling evenly over the pre-baked spelt base and spread it into a flat, even layer.
- Drizzle the caramel evenly over the apple layer, spreading gently with the back of a spoon to cover most of the surface.
- Scatter the reserved crumble mixture loosely over the top. Do not press it down - keep it rough and uneven for a crunchy finish.
- Bake for 28 to 30 minutes until the crumble topping is golden brown and the edges are bubbling.
- Remove from the oven and cool in the tin for at least 45 minutes before lifting out and slicing into 9 bars with a sharp knife.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 9
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 320kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 16g25%
- Saturated Fat 9g45%
- Cholesterol 42mg15%
- Sodium 110mg5%
- Potassium 180mg6%
- Total Carbohydrate 42g15%
- Dietary Fiber 4g16%
- Sugars 22g
- Protein 5g10%
- Vitamin A 420 IU
- Vitamin C 3 mg
- Calcium 40 mg
- Iron 2 mg
- Vitamin D 12 IU
- Vitamin E 1 mg
- Vitamin K 4 mcg
- Thiamin 0.2 mg
- Riboflavin 0.1 mg
- Niacin 2 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.1 mg
- Folate 18 mcg
- Vitamin B12 0.1 mcg
- Phosphorus 140 mg
- Magnesium 38 mg
- Zinc 1.2 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
Additional Notes
- Pre-bake the spelt base for 10 minutes before adding filling to prevent a soggy bottom.
- Do not stir the caramel once sugar starts dissolving - swirl the pan gently instead.
- Let apple filling cool for 5 minutes before layering to avoid steaming the base soft.
- Score the bars lightly with a knife before fully cooled to make clean cutting easier.
- Add a pinch of flaky sea salt over the caramel layer for a sharper flavour contrast.
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