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Traditional Apple Strudel
This time the challenge was something right after my heart. I love strudel and have been making one on and oft using the store bought Phyllo dough. But making the dough from scratch totally sealed it for me! "OMG! Is this thing for real?" was my immediate reaction the minute I took a bite, it was that fabulous. Making these were a charm, thanks to explicit and precise instruction and I dint have any trouble with it at all. I have included my notes wherever applicable in the instructions (given to us) below.
recipe from “kaffeehaus – exquisite desserts from the classic cafés of vienna, budapest and prague” by rick rodgers
- For the Strudel
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) golden rum
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) raisins
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (80 g) sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick / 115 g) unsalted butter, melted, divided
- 1 1/2 cups (350 ml) fresh bread crumbs
- strudel dough (recipe below)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml, about 60 g) coarsely chopped walnuts
- 2 pounds (900 g) tart cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼ inch-thick slices (use apples that hold their shape during baking)
- For the Strudel dough
- 1 1/3 cups (200 g) unbleached flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 7 tablespoons (105 ml) water, plus more if needed
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil, plus additional for coating the dough
- 1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
For the Apple Strudel
Mix the rum and raisins in a bowl. Mix the cinnamon and sugar in another bowl. Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the breadcrumbs and cook whilst stirring until golden and toasted. This will take about 3 minutes. Let it cool completely.
Put the rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with baking paper (parchment paper). Make the strudel dough as described below. Spread about 3 tablespoons of the remaining melted butter over the dough using your hands (a bristle brush could tear the dough, you could use a special feather pastry brush instead of your hands). Sprinkle the buttered dough with the bread crumbs.
My Notes:
It was very hard for me to spread melted butter over the dough although I used my fingers. The dough was super thin and I was left with no option but to sort of lightly pat the butter on top. But it dint hinder the taste and it came out beautifully even then
Spread the walnuts about 3 inches (8 cm) from the short edge of the dough in a 6-inch-(15cm)-wide strip. Mix the apples with the raisins (including the rum), and the cinnamon sugar. Spread the mixture over the walnuts.
My Notes:
Make sure the filling is without any liquid. Sometimes if you leave the mixture (apple +cinnamon) for a while, the apple will ooze out liquid. Avoid it. This will help
My Notes:
To make this step easier, it is v essential to flour the tablecloth liberally. I used my instincts to flour generously though I thought may be I over did it, but I hardly had any problems. In fact I had no issues and then when I lifted the cloth, the dough rolled beautifully and did not stick at all
Transfer the strudel to the prepared baking sheet by lifting it.
My Notes:
I was apprehensive to use my hands, so used a wide spatula and lifted it slowly. It worked well
My Notes
You gotto make it to believe the aroma that filled the house. It was too good to be true!Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
For the Strudel Dough
Combine the flour and salt in a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the water, oil and vinegar in a measuring cup. Add the water/oil mixture to the flour with the mixer on low speed. You will get a soft dough. Make sure it is not too dry, add a little more water if necessary.
Take the dough out of the mixer. Change to the dough hook. Put the dough ball back in the mixer. Let the dough knead on medium until you get a soft dough ball with a somewhat rough surface.Take the dough out of the mixer and continue kneading by hand on an unfloured work surface. Knead for about 2 minutes. Pick up the dough and throw it down hard onto your working surface occasionally.Shape the dough into a ball and transfer it to a plate. Oil the top of the dough ball lightly. Cover the ball tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to stand for 30-90 minutes (longer is better).
My Notes:
Since I made it on a weekend, I had time to kill, hence I allowed the dough to stand for close to 2 hours. The dough turned out to be amazing to work with!
It would be best if you have a work area that you can walk around on all sides like a 36 inch (90 cm) round table or a work surface of 23 x 38 inches (60 x 100 cm). Cover your working area with table cloth, dust it with flour and rub it into the fabric. Put your dough ball in the middle
My Notes:
To repeat what I mentioned previously : Flour welland roll it out as much as you can.
My Notes: I hardly had any thick edges since I stretched them all!!!!! I dint cut any dough off!
Tips
- Ingredients are cheap so we would recommend making a double batch of the dough, that way you can practice the pulling and stretching of the dough with the first batch and if it doesn't come out like it should you can use the second batch to give it another try;
- The tablecloth can be cotton or polyster;
- Before pulling and stretching the dough, remove your jewelry from hands and wrists, and wear short-sleeves;
- To make it easier to pull the dough, you can use your hip to secure the dough against the edge of the table;
- Few small holes in the dough is not a problem as the dough will be rolled, making (most of) the holes invisible.
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Hi Dk. thaks for this recipe..i really want to try this can i use chicken instead for the filling ?
what is the substitute for the rum??
Equal amount of water or white grape juice or apple juice. I actually used apple juice for this recipe
I can remember watching my grandma (from Hungary) make strudel…hers was the best! she would make apple, or cheese and nuts, or her favorite, sour cherry. I was too young to really learn, but I remember seeing her use overturned tea cups to keep the stretched out dough stretched out while she worked with the rest of it. She would slide the cups under the dough to hold it. I also remember that she used a tablecloth like you suggest.
Thanks for your complete directions- now I feel confident to try baking strudel…after all these years!!
I used to make this w/ my mom. My gram on my dad’s side was Austrian. Wish mom was here to help make one. I looked at the “old” apples in my fruit drawer and thought of making this, thus looking up a recipe.
Hi. Right apples, fragrant & juicy (even for eating) hv bn v. hard to find (nyc)lately. Mostimportant part of recipe is the apples; apples must absorb just right amount of juices you add to mixture & then be able to cook properly. I found this difficult, as I make a. strudel similar only I make my own dough as plain wrap-around. FYI, the best a. strudel I ever came across was at a diner s/b NYS Truwy at Modena, right around corner from the fastfood burger hwy mall at this stop. It was the apples so fresh! Tasty!! I wonder if I cd find out how they did it? But will try your phyllo dough for sure. ATK showed a recipe for apple strudel(?) where they first soaked the cut apples in lemon juice, but u don’t know how much juice & if H2O was added.
So like any recipe, good ingredients & correct proportions & knowing how to put them all together. Thank you for sharing.
I really have to make this the day ahead. Any suggestions? Is it better to make it but not bake it until the day or just make it completely and lit it sit 24 hours ready to eat?
I am so excited to have found this recipe! We are Hungarian and this is my father’s favourite dessert. I will try to make it for him tomorrow! Thanks again.
I’m so going to make this recipe. I’ve made other recipes before without being fully convinced. This one looks really good. Thanks for the tips!!
Im going to bake this recipe!!!!
Looks yummy and not too hard to make it .I will make it one days. Thanks for sharing chef. God bless you
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