For The Shortbread Base For The Cinnamon Apple Layer Base For The Dairy Free Caramel Layer For The Cinnamon Crumble Topping

For The Shortbread Layer

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C | 150°C fan | 325°F | Gas 3.
2. To make the shortbread, simply weigh out the butter, sugar, flour, and cornflour in a bowl and using a rounded knife cut through the mixture until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
3. The mixture will seem too dry, don't worry, it's supposed to be crumbly.
4. Press the crumbly mixture firmly into a lined 20x20cm square loose-based tin, making sure you've gone to the edges and the dough is as flat and compacted as possible.
5. I use the end of a dessert spoon to smooth down the edges to ensure the mixture gets right into the sides of the tin. Prick several times with a fork to prevent any pockets of air and encourage an even bake.
6. Bake the shortbread for 40 minutes until it begins to smell delicious and just starts to turn color.
7. Remove and leave aside on a cooling rack (still in the square tin) until it has cooled completely before adding the next layer.

For The Dairy-Free Caramel

1. In a non-stick saucepan, add all the ingredients and begin to stir on a medium-to-high heat until all the ingredients have melted.
2. Next, adjust the hob heat until you have a rolling boil. This step can take 20 minutes so be patient and simply stir every once in a while to ensure the ingredients are not sticking to the bottom of the pan
3. Once your ingredients have condensed by about half, remove from the heat and begin to beat the caramel with a whisk. As the caramel cools it will thicken (any splitting of the fats and sugars will be rectified but this beating motion).
4. Pour into a glass jug or bowl, cool to room temperature ready to use later.

For The Cinnamon Apple Layer

1. First make the apple sauce by prepping the cooking apples and adding to the saucepan with the tablespoons of water.
2. Gently heat with a lid on, until the cooking apples have broken down and created an apple sauce. Using Bramley apples will mean this process takes very little time.
3. Next, in a little bowl or cup, mix a little water to the arrowroot to make a paste, add this to the apple sauce and cook for 5mins until the arrowroot is cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
4. Now peel, core, and chop your dessert/eating apple(s) into small chunks the size of a fingernail. Add these apple pieces to the apple sauce, along with the sugar and cinnamon
5. Heat gently until the apple pieces have softened but not broken down. Then set aside to cool completely.

For The Cinnamon Crumble

1. In a bowl, break the digestive into pieces but don't pulverize them into dust, you want different-sized crumbly bits.
2. Pour over the melted plant butter and add the cinnamon and mix thoroughly to combine. Set aside, now we get to build the apple caramel squares.

For The Cake Assembly

1. Take the shortbread base, still in the tin and pour over the caramel. If the caramel has become too thick heat in the microwave for 5 seconds to loosen, no more.
2. Smooth the caramel to the edges and then move onto the apple sauce layer
3. Spread the cooled apple sauce layer over the caramel, teasing it to the edges with a spoon. If your caramel is too soft, pop into the fridge for 10 minutes to harden. Then add the apples.
4. Next evenly spoon the cinnamon crumble over the apple layer.
5. I find this bake is best kept in the fridge until you want to serve it. To serve simply remove from the loose-bottom tin and cut 4x4 into 9 equal squares.