Apfelstrudel

Apfelstrudel (German Apple Strudel)

A classic Austrian-German pastry of spiced apples, rum-plumped raisins and toasted breadcrumbs encased in tissue-thin strudel dough, baked until golden and best served warm with cream or vanilla sauce.

Prep

45 min

Cook

40 min

Total

85 min

Serves

8

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •250 g (8¾ oz (about 1¾ cups)) plain flour, Type 550 / all-purpose, plus extra for dusting
• •1 whole (1 large) egg, lightly beaten, for the dough
• •125 ml (½ cup) lukewarm water
• •20 g (1½ tbsp) unsalted butter, melted, for the dough
• •1 pinch salt
• •1.2 kg (2 lb 11 oz) tart cooking apples, Boskoop, Elstar or Granny Smith, peeled, cored, thinly sliced
• •80 g (⅓ cup) raisins, soaked in 2 tbsp dark rum for 30 min
• •120 g (1 cup) fine dry breadcrumbs
• •80 g (5 tbsp) unsalted butter, for toasting crumbs and brushing
• •80 g (⅔ cup) sugar, fine/caster, divided
• •2 tsp ground cinnamon
• •1 tsp lemon zest, from 1 unwaxed lemon
• •50 g (¼ cup) toasted breadcrumbs, see step; cooled before filling
• •1 tbsp icing sugar, for dusting
• •60 g (¼ cup) melted butter, for brushing the rolled strudel
• •250 ml (1 cup) heavy cream, to serve, cold or lightly whipped

Steps

1. 1 Make the dough: mound the flour on the work surface, make a well and add egg, lukewarm water, melted butter and salt. Mix, then knead vigorously for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic (or 5 minutes in a stand mixer with dough hook). The dough should bounce back when poked.
2. 2 Shape into a ball, brush with a little oil, place in a bowl, cover and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes (up to 90 minutes). This relaxes the gluten so the dough can be stretched paper-thin.
3. 3 Meanwhile, prepare the filling: melt 60 g (4 tbsp) of the butter in a pan over medium heat, add the breadcrumbs and toast, stirring, until deep golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool.
4. 4 In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with the soaked raisins (drained), lemon zest, cinnamon and 50 g (¼ cup) of the sugar. Taste one apple; the fruit should taste pleasantly sweet-tart. Add more sugar only if your apples are very sharp. Set aside.
5. 5 Preheat the oven to 200 °C (400 °F) conventional or 180 °C (355 °F) fan. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
6. 6 Stretch the dough: lay a clean cotton tablecloth (or large smooth tea towel) on the work surface and dust lightly with flour. Place the dough in the centre and roll out to a rough 30 cm (12 in) round with a rolling pin.
7. 7 Using the backs of your lightly floured hands (and never fingertips, which tear the dough), stretch the dough from underneath, working outward in a circle. Drape the thicker edges over your knuckles and gently pull outward, letting gravity help. Rotate and repeat until you have a sheet about 60 × 90 cm (24 × 35 in), thin enough that you should be able to read a newspaper through it. Trim off the thicker edge strip.
8. 8 Brush the stretched dough all over with about 40 g (3 tbsp) melted butter. Scatter the toasted breadcrumbs evenly over the lower two-thirds, leaving a 5 cm (2 in) border on the long sides.
9. 9 Pile the apple mixture over the breadcrumbs, spreading it evenly and keeping within that 5 cm border. Lightly press the filling so the strudel holds its shape after rolling.
10. 10 Roll the strudel: lift the tablecloth at the short end nearest you and use it to roll the dough over the filling once. Tuck the side edges in (like a parcel) over the filling, then continue rolling away from you using the cloth to guide. Do not press.
11. 11 Slide the rolled strudel seam-side down onto the prepared baking sheet, curving it slightly into a horseshoe if it is long (this is traditional and helps it fit the sheet).
12. 12 Brush generously all over with melted butter and bake on the middle rack for 30 to 40 minutes, until the pastry is a deep, even golden brown and the bottom is crisp and cooked through (lift gently with a spatula to check).
13. 13 If the top darkens too fast, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes. Brush once more with butter as soon as it comes out of the oven for a glossy, fragrant crust.
14. 14 Dust with icing sugar. Rest on the sheet for at least 10 minutes before slicing (the filling firms up as it cools).
15. 15 Cut into 3 cm (1¼ in) thick slices and serve warm, with cold heavy cream poured alongside or lightly whipped. Reheat leftover slices in a 180 °C (355 °F) oven for 6 to 8 minutes to restore crispness.