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Apple and pecan shortcake

Preparation time | 10 minutes + 30 minutes chilling
Cooking time | 45 minutes
Makes | 24 bars

Method
150g self-raising flour
100g wholemeal plain flour
125g unsalted butter
120g caster sugar
2 eggs
20ml milk
4 large sweet apples (such as Fuji, Pink Lady or Golden Delicious)
2 tsp mixed spice
100g pecans, chopped
50g demerara sugar

Ingredients
1 | Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a 27 x 18cm slice pan with baking paper. Put flours, butter and 80g of the caster sugar in a food processor and pulse until a coarse crumb forms. Add 1 egg, 1 yolk (reserving the white) and milk. Pulse until the dough just comes together. Flatten to a 2cm thick disc between 2 pieces of non-stick baking paper, then refrigerate for 30 minutes, until firm.
2 | Press half the dough into the base of prepared pan. Peel apples and remove the cores, then slice very finely. Put apple slices on top of dough base, then sprinkle with spice and the remaining caster sugar.
3 | Work nuts into remaining dough, then spread on top, pressing down firmly. Brush with remaining eggwhite, then sprinkle with demerara sugar. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown and firm to touch. Cool completely on a wire rack. Slice and serve.

My fair lady
Pink Lady, Fuji or Golden Delicious apples work better than Granny Smith for this, as it needs a sweeter, more delicate apple.