Apple Strudel
Apple strudel is a traditional German pastry that originated in the Austrian Empire. It is made with a thin, flaky pastry dough filled with a sweet apple filling and often served with vanilla sauce or whipped cream. Today, apple strudel is enjoyed all over the world and is particularly popular in Germany, Austria, and the United States.
While the exact origins of apple strudel are unknown, it is thought to date back to the 16th century. Evidence of recipes similar to apple strudel can be found in cookbooks from that era. Apple strudel became especially popular in Austria during the 18th century and has since become one of the country's most iconic dishes.
Apple strudel is traditionally made with a filling of apples, sugar, cinnamon, raisins, and bread crumbs. However, there are many variations of this classic dish. For example, some recipes call for adding nuts or other dried fruits to the filling. Others use a different type of fruit altogether, such as cherries or apricots. No matter what ingredients are used, apple strudel remains a delicious and cherished pastry enjoyed by people all over the world.
I hope you enjoy our delicious apple strudel.
Prep Time: 20 Minutes (plus resting time)
Cooking Time: 45 Minutes
Ingredients for the Pastry:
All-Purpose Flour - 250g
Butter - 100g (melted)
Eggs - 1
Sugar - 100g
Salt - a pinch
Ingredients for the Filling:
Raisins - 40g
Butter - 35g (room temperature)
Eggs - 2 (separate the yolks from the whites)
Sugar - 50g
Heavy Cream - 100mL
Dried Bread Crumbs - 30g
Ground Cinnamon - 1/2 teaspoon
Apples - 3 (very thinly sliced)
Pine Nuts - 1 Tbs
Melted Butter - 30g
Milk - just for brushing
Icing Sugar - for topping
Preparation:
Place the raisins to soak in a bowl of lukewarm water.
We start by making the Apple Strudel pastry (if you decided to buy pre-made pastry you can skip these steps). Take your flour and put it on a clean working surface, make a well in the middle and add the butter, egg, sugar, a pinch of salt and 7 tablespoons of lukewarm water.
Work the dough until all the ingredients have come together and the dough is smooth and elastic - this should take around 10/15 minutes of working the dough by hand or you can use the help of a mixer.
Cover the dough and leave to rest for 30 minutes in a dark spot.
Pre-heat the oven to 220°C (425°F) - take a baking sheet and grease it with either butter or an oil of your choice.
Drain the raisins and dry them with some paper towels.
Take the softened butter and add the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and mix. Now add the cream, bread crumbs, raisins and ground cinnamon and mix.
In another bowl whisk the egg whites until they are stiff. Now incorporate the egg whites to the first mixture by folding it in - your filling is ready!
Take your dough which has now rested enough and, on a floured surface roll it out thinly into a rectangle. Slowly place your rectangle on a piece of clingfilm (dusted with flour). Now evenly place the filling onto the dough, add the apples and pine nuts and roll the dough into a cylindrical shape with the help of the clingfilm.
Now remove the clingfilm once you have made your shape and place the strudel on the greased tray and brush your apple strudel with melted butter.
Bake for 50 minutes - at around 25 minutes brush the strudel with milk and reduce the temperature to 180°C.
Once ready remove the strudel from the oven and dust with icing sugar before serving.