Apricot Crumble Bars

I'm not sure why I have been wanting to incorporate apricots into my baking so badly over the past couple of weeks.  Perhaps it's down to the generous dollop of apricot jam I've been adding to my porridge most mornings, but either way I just had to bake something apricotty this week.
Say hello to my Apricot Crumble Bars!
The perfect accompaniment to a late afternoon's cup of tea, a comforting dessert when served straight out of the oven with a big scoop of vanilla ice cream, or equally as delicious eaten all on their own .  If you're a big fruit crumble fan like me, you will love these!

Ingredients: (makes 12) 1 cup of unsalted butter, cold and cubed 2 cups of plain flour 1/3 cup of granulated sugar 1/4 cup light brown sugar 1tsp baking powder 1tsp vanilla extract 1 egg yolk Pinch of salt Apricot conserve (I use St Dalfour Rhapsodie de Fruit) Icing sugar to dust
Method: Preheat oven to 180C (160C fan assisted) and using a little butter grease a 12 hole cupcake tray.  I prefer silicone trays as it makes removing the crumbles once baked a piece of cake - pardon the pun!
In a large bowl combine flour, sugars, baking powder and salt.
Add the butter and using fingertips, rub the butter into the dry ingredients until a crumbly dough-like consistency is formed.

Pour in the vanilla extract and the egg yolk and using a wooden spoon mix until just combined.  The dough should look like this..

Transfer 1/4 of the dough into another bowl, cover and pop in the fridge.
With the remaining dough, evenly distribute it into the tin pushing down with your fingers, making sure that the sides are a little higher.  You should have an almost jam tart base resemblance.
Add a teaspoon of apricot conserve into the middle and using the refrigerated dough, crumble over the tops.

Place on the middle shelf in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, until just golden on the tops.
Leave to cool completely before turning out.
Dust with a little icing sugar and you're ready to indulge in whichever way you wish!