Apple Streusel Bars

We made these for Thanksgiving this year.  The recipe is easy to make and everyone seemed to really enjoy them.  I thought that it was very sweet and wonder if more apples and somehow less butter would help.  I halved the glaze recipe, which I'm glad I did as I drizzled just less than half onto the apple bars and it was a major contributor to the major sweetness.  But to each his own!

SWEET pastry:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup real butter
1 egg, beaten

Apple filling:
3 medium apples (4 cups) sliced, peeled baking apples {Granny Smith}
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon

Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
3 T milk
1 tsp almond extract


Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl.  Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or two knives until the crust is in pea-size crumbles.  Mix in the beaten egg.  Grease a 13x9 pan with non-stick spray and pat 2/3 of the mixture into the pan.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Peel and slice the apples.  Toss the sliced apples with flour, sugar and cinnamon.  Spread apples out onto the crust.  Sprinkle reserved crust mixture on top.  Bake for 40 minutes.  Cool completely and drizzle with the glaze to taste.  Allow the bars to harden and cut to serve.

Source: Jone, Kate and Sara Wells.  "Apple Streusel Bars".  Our Best Bites. 3. May 2009.

[Sorry, pictures to come later.  Ran out of storage space.]