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How To Make Apple Strudel

By Bernadette Wörndl

Apple Strudel recipe

Few desserts are as closely associated with Austria as apple strudel. With its delicate layers of pastry wrapped around a spiced apple filling, this much-loved classic rewards a little patience with a result that is crisp, fragrant and utterly delicious.

How to Perfect the Strudel Dough

Strudel dough has a long history dating back to the Middle Ages: the first strudels were probably made in Hungary and Romania, before gradually spreading throughout Europe.

All the ingredients are first kneaded to create a very smooth dough, which should then be left to rest for 30 minutes. This allows the dough to relax, which makes it easier to stretch later. After the dough has rested, it is immediately rolled out and then stretched. This process involves stretching and pulling the dough by hand until it is almost transparent. The thinner the pastry is, the crispier it will be once baked. In many places in Austria, there is a saying that the pastry is only thin enough when you can read a newspaper placed underneath. The most popular strudel fillings are apples, cherries, apricots, plums, and quark or other curd cheese.

There is always something magical about stretching out the strudel dough so that it is as thin as possible and almost transparent. And there is no doubt that this task is even more enjoyable if done in a leisurely fashion in the company of friends or family, all gathered around the dough. The final result tastes even better with the addition of whipped cream or custard.

How To Make Apple Strudel

Makes 1 strudel

Ingredients

  • Icing sugar for dusting
  • 200g plain flour (type 00), plus extra for working
  • A pinch of salt
  • 2 tbsp oil, plus more for rubbing in
  • 110g lukewarm water
  • 1.5–2kg acidic apples (e.g. Topaz, Boskoop, or Bramley)
  • Juice of 1 organic lemon and ½ tsp finely grated zest
  • 60–70g caster sugar
  • 50–60g raisins
  • A splash of rum
  • 120g butter
  • 120g fine breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Method

  1. To make the dough, work the flour, salt, oil, and water together by hand until you have a smooth, stretchy dough. Shape into a ball and rub in a few drops of oil. Place in a bowl, cover with a plate, and leave to rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile for the filling, peel, quarter, and core the apples. Slice the apples (not too thinly) and mix in a bowl with the juice and zest of the lemon, 30-40 grams of the caster sugar (depending on how sweet the apples are), raisins, and rum. Melt 60 grams of butter in a pan and fry the breadcrumbs, stirring until light brown. Stir in the cinnamon and the remaining 30g of caster sugar.
  3. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.
  4. Dust a large tea towel or tablecloth evenly with flour. Roll out the strudel dough on this cloth as thinly as possible. Then slide your hands flat under the pastry and stretch it over the backs of your hands, working from the centre outwards, making the pastry thinner and thinner until you can see the cloth through it. Don’t worry if there are little holes here and there, this will not matter.
  5. Melt the remaining 60 grams of butter, let it cool down slightly, then lightly brush the strudel dough with 3 tablespoons of melted butter. Spread the breadcrumbs over the pastry, leaving a gap of about 5cm around the edge. Create a strand of apple slices along the short side of the pastry.
  6. Fold in the edges of the pastry towards the middle. Using the cloth, loosely roll up the strudel from the short side, and place it seam-side down on the lined baking sheet. Brush the strudel with the remaining melted butter and bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 35-40 minutes until golden.
  7. Enjoy the strudel lukewarm or let it cool down. Dust with icing sugar before serving.
Smart Tip

Simmer the apple peel and cores with 500g of naturally cloudy apple juice for 30-40 minutes to make a syrup. Use the apple syrup for cocktails and glazes or for sweetening porridge and salad dressings.

 

1. Shape the strudel dough into a ball, rub with a few drops of oil, and leave to rest.
2.+3. Roll out the strudel dough on the work surface until it is very thin.
4. Dust a large tea towel or tablecloth with flour, then slide your hands flat under the dough.

5.+6. Stretch the dough over the backs of your hands working from the centre outwards, making the pastry thinner and thinner until you can see the cloth through it.
7. Brush the strudel dough with a thin layer of melted butter.
8. Depending on the recipe, spread crumbs over the pastry, leaving a gap of about 5cm around the edge.

9. Spread the filling over the pastry.
10.+11. Fold in the edges of the pastry towards the centre and use the cloth to help you loosely roll up the strudel from the short side.
12. Slide the strudel onto a baking tray lined with baking paper, so the seam is underneath when baked.

 

From Sacher Torte to Marmalade Roulade, Vanilla Crescent Cookies to Strawberry Cream Torte, Viennese Bakery by Bernadette Wörndl (DK) contains 75+ recipes for the finest delicacies from Old Vienna. Photography by Melina Kutelas.

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