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    Home » Ingredients » Dairy Free

    March 13, 2011 American Recipes

    Sake Strawberry-Apple Bars

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    These Sake Strawberry-Apple Bars are just delicious! An easy recipe for bars filled with a sweet and juicy strawberry-apple filling and topped with a crunchy crumble.

    Juicy strawberries with sweet apples get even better with a little sake. A moist and juicy filling topped with a salty pretzel-oat crust makes it difficult to eat just one bar!

    overhead image of sake strawberry apple bars on a white plate

    I know I’ve mentioned that apple desserts are my favorite kind of desserts; a very close tie with Nutella desserts

    I remember eating apple crumbles when I was little. My little brother and I would return from a long day at school to the comforting smells of apple and cinnamon baking. My mom would make crumbles and bars as often as she would make us cookies.
    overhead image of sake strawberry apple bars on a white plate

    There wouldn’t be any lectures about not making a mess while we ate a crumble because a crumble is well, a crumbly affair to say the least. Her crumbles and bars were not made with sake...that's my crazy idea!

    When I was studying at University, I was surrounded by students from all over the world. One very good friend of mine was Masaki Yoshida from Japan. We met each other in one of our International Business classes. All Masaki wanted to be was American. He loved basketball, rap music, and drove a Nissan 300 ZX. Masaki was a part of our group of friends that was mostly students from South America and Italy.

    This is a crumble that is even more appealing because of the shortbread crust and the salty pretzel topping. There are oats mixed in with the butter and pretzel…it is slightly healthy. I find sake at Publix in the nice sushi section.

    This is a crumble that is even more appealing because of the shortbread crust and the salty pretzel topping. There are oats mixed in with the butter and pretzel…it is slightly healthy.

    Sake is smooth baked into the apples and strawberries. I recommend you try it. If you don’t have sake, you could use lemon or orange juice.

    I love to add strawberry or apricot jam to my fruit fillings for pies or crumbles. If you don’t have strawberry jam, you can use any other flavored jam. This is very similar to my Winter Mini Apple Cranberry Crumble recipe.

    What ingredients are in these easy to make bars?

     

    Crust:

    • unsalted butter, softened
    •  sugar
    •  all-purpose flour
    •  sea salt

    Filling:

    • granny smith apples (or your favorite baking apples)peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2” pieces
    • strawberries
    • lemon
    • cinnamon
    • ground ginger
    • sea salt
    • strawberry jam
    • cornstarch
    • sake (or orange juice)

    Crumb Topping:

    • salted pretzels
    • all-purpose flour
    •  light brown sugar
    • granulated sugar
    •  quick cooking oats
    •  butter

    How to make these crumble bars

    Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 8x8 inch baking pan. In a medium sized bowl, add the apple pieces, cinnamon, ground ginger, and lemon juice. Let it sit while you prepare the crust. In a medium bowl, beat the butter and the sugar until fluffy. Beat in the flour until a soft dough is formed. Remove the dough and place it into your prepared pan. Press firmly onto the bottom and sides of the pan.

    image of hand pressing crust into a pan
    Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. You will have to refrain from eating this sugar cookie crust! Yum!

    image of cookie crust in a pan

    While the crust is baking, prepare the apple-strawberry mixture. In a medium sauce pan, sauté the apples in medium-low heat for about 3 minutes (until they lose their crispiness). Add the strawberries and the strawberry jam. Add in the sake combined with the 2 teaspoons of cornstarch.
    image of making apples in a pan

    Let it thicken and set the pan aside to cool while you prepare the crumb topping.

    Crumb Topping:
    In a medium bowl, stir together the crushed pretzels, oats, flour, both sugars, and oats. With a pastry cutter (or your fingers) cut in the butter pieces until the mixture has a crumbly mixture with the crumbs the size of blueberries.
    image of making crumble topping

    After the filling cools, spread evenly on top of the crust.
    image of apple filling
    Sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly over the apple-strawberry filling.
    image of making crumble topping

    Bake about 35-40 minutes or until the the topping is golden brown. Cool the bars completely in the pan on top of the rack, then place them in the refrigerator to chill before cutting.

    image of bars in a baking pan
    You can store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator if you don’t gobble them all up as soon as you bake them.

    Some other desserts to try:

    • Fresh Strawberry Bundt Cake
    • Strawberry Crumble Bars
    • Vegan Strawberry Banana Bread
    • Strawberry Panna Cotta
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    Sake Strawberry-Apple Bars

    These Sake Strawberry-Apple Bars are just delicious! An easy recipe for bars filled with a sweet and juicy strawberry-apple filling and topped with a crunchy crumble.
    Prep Time10 mins
    Cook Time35 mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: apples, bars, crumb topping, Strawberries
    Author: Lora

    Ingredients

    • For the Crust:
    • 1 stick unsalted butter softened
    • 4 tablespoons sugar
    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • dash of sea salt
    • For the filling:
    • 5 large granny smith apples or your favorite baking applespeeled, cored, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
    • ½ cup strawberries cut into chunks
    • juice of 1 lemon
    • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • 4 tablespoons strawberry jam
    • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
    • ¼ cup sake or orange juice
    • For the Crumb Topping:
    • 1 cup crushed salted pretzels
    • ½ cup all-purpose flour
    • ¾ cup light brown sugar
    • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
    • ½ cup quick cooking oats
    • 1 stick chilled butter cut into pieces

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 8x8 inch baking pan. In a medium sized bowl, add the apple pieces, cinnamon, ground ginger, and lemon juice. Let it sit while you prepare the crust.
    • Prep the crust: In a medium bowl, beat the butter and the sugar until fluffy. Beat in the flour until a soft dough is formed. Remove the dough and place it into your prepared pan. Press firmly onto the bottom and sides of the pan.
    • Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. You will have to refrain from eating this sugar cookie crust! Yum!
    • Prep the filling: While the crust is baking, prepare the apple-strawberry mixture. In a medium sauce pan, sauté the apples in medium-low heat for about 3 minutes (until they lose their crispiness). Add the strawberries and the strawberry jam. Add in the sake combined with the 2 teaspoons of cornstarch. Let it thicken and set the pan aside to cool while you prepare the crumb topping.
    • Prep the Crumb Topping:
    • In a medium bowl, stir together the crushed pretzels, oats, flour, both sugars, and oats. With a pastry cutter (or your fingers) cut in the butter pieces until the mixture has a crumbly mixture with the crumbs the size of
    • blueberries.
    • After the filling cools, spread evenly on top of the crust.
    • Bake about 35-40 minutes or until the the topping is golden brown. Cool the bars completely in the pan on top of the rack, then place them in the refrigerator to chill before cutting.
    • You can store the bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator if you don’t gobble them all up as soon as you bake them.
    Tried this recipe?Mention @savoringitaly or tag #savoringitaly!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Elizabeth Ann (Elizabeth Ann's Recipe Box says

      March 13, 2011 at 3:49 pm

      oh my goodness. . . this sounds AMAZING! 🙂 Apple desserts are my favorite too. . can you find sake at your local liquor store?? I've only had it at restaurants! 🙂

      Reply
    2. Nelly Rodriguez says

      March 13, 2011 at 4:37 pm

      Oh these look so good! I love anything with crumbles on top! Thanks for sharing 🙂

      Reply
    3. Anonymous says

      March 13, 2011 at 4:54 pm

      thanks for sharing your Maskai and sushi story. I'm sure he thinks of his time in the US with you guys whenever he eats a hamburger or a big piece of lasagna.
      Your bars look great, I too am a big fan of anything apple and crumbly:)

      Reply
    4. Angela@RecipesFromMyMom says

      March 13, 2011 at 5:16 pm

      So creative! I've never thought of baking with sake. Just drinking it :> I hope your friend Masaki is okay too.

      Reply
    5. Nisrine M. says

      March 13, 2011 at 5:32 pm

      Sake in the filling must taste delicious in these scrumptious bars. Thanks for sharing the story of your friend with us. Our hearts are with Japan right now.

      Reply
    6. scrambledhenfruit says

      March 13, 2011 at 5:37 pm

      I've never baked with Saki, but this does sound delicious. I hope your friend is safe! And thanks for the link to the St. Baldrick's post- I've left a comment there as well. 🙂

      Reply
    7. Lauren at Keep It Sweet says

      March 13, 2011 at 7:25 pm

      What a nice story about your old friend- I hope that he and his family are doing ok. It is surprising with today's current technology you haven't been able to find him. The bars look delicious by the way, love that you put pretzles in the topping!

      Reply
    8. something good says

      March 13, 2011 at 7:40 pm

      If there is sake in it, it must taste heavenly!
      Indeed, the tragedy that struck Japan is overwhelming... We were wondering about our friends over there and fortunately they all are ok.

      Reply
    9. A Thought For Food says

      March 13, 2011 at 7:56 pm

      Thanks for the shout out, darling! These look incredible!

      Reply
    10. Lo-mo says

      March 13, 2011 at 7:57 pm

      Mmm....Sake....looks absolutely divine! Love the 'good old days' story about you and Masaki, I do hope he and his family are safe, as with many others who have and friends and family in Japan, we hope to hear from them. The bars are so yummy looking!

      Reply
    11. Lizzy says

      March 13, 2011 at 9:04 pm

      I'm with you on the apple desserts, Lora, so I know I'd love your beautiful bars. Hope that your friend, Masaki, is OK...

      Reply
    12. Chris says

      March 13, 2011 at 9:27 pm

      My daughter LOVES apple crisps/crumbles. In fact, that is her "birthday cake" (and she's 19!) Thanks for a variation I'm going to try and see if it passes muster with her. 🙂

      Reply
    13. Amy says

      March 13, 2011 at 9:35 pm

      These sound amazing! I love the addition of the Sake, it must make the bars extra good :)!

      Reply
    14. Anonymous says

      March 13, 2011 at 10:06 pm

      I love crumb toppings and strawberry desserts 🙂 This looks fantastic! One of my husband's students (at a flight school) is from Japan and wants very badly to be American and introduce him to sushi...too funny!

      Reply
    15. Anonymous says

      March 13, 2011 at 10:07 pm

      I love crumb toppings and strawberries 🙂 This look fantastic! One of my husband's students at the flight school he works at is from Japan. He too wants to be American and introduce my husband to sushi...too funny! I hope your friend is alright...

      Reply
    16. Karen says

      March 13, 2011 at 10:41 pm

      I'm intrigued by the sake in this...what a great idea! Gorgeous bars. Love the combo of strawberry-apple (and that your friend drove a 300Z!).

      Reply
    17. Sandra says

      March 13, 2011 at 11:22 pm

      This really looks fantastic..awesome combo!
      Hope your friend is alright! It is sad what mother nature can do!

      Reply
    18. Becky says

      March 14, 2011 at 1:44 am

      Your bars look s good. My son doesn't like cake or chocolate, so I make apple crisp every year for his birthday. Love the pretzels in the crumb topping.

      Reply
    19. Sandra says

      March 14, 2011 at 1:46 am

      Yummies! I had warm sake for the first time last summer and it's sooo good. This is a great recipe and I too am sending well wishes to you and our friends in Japan.

      Reply
    20. Lindsey @ Gingerbread Bagels says

      March 14, 2011 at 2:49 am

      Oh how I love hearing about your sweet friend from college. When I was in college, I was an ESL teacher to international college students from Japan. It was truly one of the best experiences.
      What a great idea to combine apples and strawberries in a bar! And I just love the pretzels in the topping, so creative. 🙂

      Reply
    21. A little bit of everything says

      March 14, 2011 at 4:18 am

      i have some friends in Japan too and when i first heard the news I immediately email them.
      What a great memory about your friend.
      the bars sound so good. love the apple-strawberry-pretzel combo. thanks for sharing Lora

      p.s. voted you twice, good luck

      Reply
    22. Kimberly says

      March 14, 2011 at 4:55 am

      Those look SO good!! I love bars like this, they always succeed in making my happy and are the best smelling desserts while baking.

      Reply
    23. Elin says

      March 14, 2011 at 5:43 am

      Lora..great post for a great cause...will be dropping a comment there as soon as I have finished here 🙂

      Great sake strawberry and apple bars ! I will love this and have bookmarked it for future bakes 🙂

      Take care and God bless,
      Elin

      Reply
    24. Happy When Not Hungry says

      March 14, 2011 at 10:39 am

      These bars look amazing! I am so intrigued that there is sake in there as well. I've never baked with sake before, but am very curious. I'll def have to try this recipe. Thanks Lora!

      Reply
    25. Lindsay @Eat, Knit, Grow says

      March 14, 2011 at 1:01 pm

      Yum the bars look fantastic! I love the crumb topping! And Sake, so neat!

      Reply
    26. A SPICY PERSPECTIVE says

      March 14, 2011 at 1:42 pm

      Wonderful post. I feel your worry for your friend. I had friends in Thailand when the tsunami hit a few years back. Hugs and prayers...

      These bars looks divine. I've never combined apples and strawberries and I've definitely never BAKED with sake. So intriguing!

      Reply
    27. Pretend Chef says

      March 14, 2011 at 1:49 pm

      Life pulls us in so many directions and unfortunately sometimes it pulls us so far away from those we are connected to. Onto happier notes... these bars sound amazing. Sake is something I have no experience with but the combination sounds delicious. The crumbly topping makes these even more appealing. Yummy!

      Reply
    28. Sanjeeta kk says

      March 14, 2011 at 2:00 pm

      These look awesome, love the furity touch to the bars!

      Reply
    29. polwig says

      March 14, 2011 at 3:53 pm

      This looks amazing... I hope you are able to find your friend Masaki and catch up soon.

      Reply
    30. The Mom Chef says

      March 14, 2011 at 5:56 pm

      I'm to a point now where watching anything about Japan makes tears well up. It's one horror after the other over there. I hope and pray that your friend is well. We continue to pray for your health too.

      Thanks for this recipe. It looks absolutely fantastic. Shortbread is one of my favorite snacks (just under cheesecake) and adding fruit to it can only make it twice gooder.

      Reply
    31. Lauren@LittleYellowKitchen says

      March 14, 2011 at 7:28 pm

      Thanks for that story. I hope he is ok as well. I feel so helpless being so far away from it all! We all just need to keep praying for everyone's well being.

      Oh man, those bars are great. I am totally that person that eats the crumbly top and leaves the middle behind

      Reply
    32. Sprinkled with Flour says

      March 14, 2011 at 7:28 pm

      What a great looking fruit bar. I love putting apple and strawberry together, it's a good texture combo. These sounds so yummy!

      Reply
    33. Georgia | The Comfort of Cooking says

      March 14, 2011 at 11:14 pm

      You used such great flavor combinations in these bars, Lora! What a wonderful treat. Thank you for sharing your talents in the kitchen. I've been thinking of you and your health, and hope for nothing but the best for you! 🙂

      Reply
    34. Ilke says

      March 14, 2011 at 11:47 pm

      It is amazing how we are all connected in this world, over the big oceans! Hope he is ok!
      The crumble looks lovely! I am not a big fan of sake but I bet it went well with the recipe!

      Reply
    35. Susi says

      March 15, 2011 at 12:02 am

      Lora, apple desserts are in a close race with Nutella for me as well. I don't think I would pass up either ;o) This is a lovely looking fruit bar and I love your creativity when making all of these wonderful treats.
      Thanks for sharing the story about your friend Masaki. I'm hoping you'll cross paths again one day and he is safe!

      Reply
    36. My Man's Belly says

      March 15, 2011 at 12:58 am

      I'm with you and my love for apple bars. My mom would make these half sheet pans of apple pie bars for our seemingly endless fundraisers. Maybe that's why I like the bars so much more than pies.

      Reply
    37. SMITH BITES says

      March 15, 2011 at 1:22 am

      such a lovely, lovely story Lora - i do hope you hear about your friend. thoughts and prayers are w/him and the Japanese people

      Reply
    38. Anonymous says

      March 15, 2011 at 2:42 am

      I have a cousin named Masaki, he lives in Kagoshima. My mom's side of the family is from Fukushima. Thank God they're all OK... I still can't believe this happened and I've stopped reading the news because its too sad 🙁 I hope your friend Masaki is OK. Besos, Lora!

      Reply
    39. Monet says

      March 15, 2011 at 3:56 am

      What a great post...and what a great tribute to your friend. My best friend is teaching English in Japan (thankfully I heard from her on Sunday), but my heart is just breaking for that country. It makes you thankful for every breath we're given. These bars look and sound scrumptious. Thank you for sharing this sweetness. Much love.

      Reply
    40. Mary says

      March 15, 2011 at 5:32 am

      These are adorable! Love it!!

      Mary xo
      Delightful Bitefuls

      Reply
    41. Sue says

      March 15, 2011 at 6:29 am

      These bars look FANTASTIC!
      Praying for you, Lora, and praying for Japan.

      Reply
    42. Evan @swEEts says

      March 15, 2011 at 6:57 pm

      This kind of reminds me of the strawberry pretzel salad we have for Thanksgiving 🙂 I love the ingredients.. I am definitely going to be trying this once I get my hands on some strawberries!

      Reply
    43. blackbookkitchendiaries says

      March 15, 2011 at 9:20 pm

      this looks so lovely! thank you for sharing this post with us.

      Reply
    44. Raina says

      March 16, 2011 at 12:52 am

      Wonderful crumble...looks amazing! I hope you find your friend and that he is okay.

      Reply
    45. Velva says

      March 16, 2011 at 2:29 am

      Love, love, crumbles. Just love them. What a great afternoon snack.
      Cheers to discovering sushi with your friend. Positive thoughts coming your way that all will be okay.

      Reply
    46. Kate @ Diethood.com says

      March 16, 2011 at 3:35 am

      I love this post... my heart goes out to your friend and the rest in Japan... hope all will be okay!

      The bars are absolutely scrumptious...sake, crumbles, strawberry...mmmmm!

      Reply
    47. Magic of Spice says

      March 16, 2011 at 4:06 pm

      These looks wonderful...
      I hope your friend is safe and that you are able to reconnect at some point.

      Reply
    48. briarrose says

      March 17, 2011 at 12:52 am

      Amazing job on this. It looks delicious and the pretzel topping is the perfect final touch.

      Reply
    49. Anonymous says

      March 19, 2011 at 12:42 am

      Prayers for your friend and all in Japan! I love this recipe it looks so delicious! Thank you for posting! Angela

      Reply

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    Welcome to our Italian kitchen! We are Lora and Gabriella, the mother-daughter team behind Savoring Italy. With more than 30+ years of experience in the kitchen, Lora has had a great advantage – receiving guidance from both her husband who is an executive chef/restaurant owner and her mother who is a renowned private chef. 

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