Servings
Font
Back
5.0 from 195 votes

Apple Strudel (Apfelstrudel)

The national dessert of Austria, Apple Strudel features a delightfully flaky pastry shell filled with spiced apples and raisins and served with vanilla sauce or ice cream. 

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Additional Time
1 hr
Total Time
2 hrs
Servings: 12
Calories: 236 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: German , Austrian

Ingredients

  • For the Strudel Dough:
  • 2 cups bread flour (can substitute all-purpose flour)
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 2 tablespoons neutral tasting oil
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar
  • 1 egg (optional), makes the dough easier to work with but the pastry will not be as flaky
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted and divided
  • For the filling:
  • 5 medium apples (tart or sweet-tart) , peeled and cored, cut into small cubes or thinly sliced (e.g. Granny Smith, Pink Lady, McIntosh, Braeburn, etc)
  • 1/3 cup golden raisins (can use regular raisins)
  • 2 tablespoons rum (optional)
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional), toasted in a dry skillet until lightly browned
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (apple strudel isn't overly "cinnamony" but you can increase it if you prefer)
  • 1/2 cup fine white breadcrumbs , toasted in a dry skillet until light golden
  • powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Place the raisins in a bowl and toss with the rum. Let soak for at least an hour or up to overnight. Drain.
  2. To make the filling:Combine the sugar and cinnamon.  Place the apples, raisins, walnuts, lemon juice, and cinnamon sugar in a large bowl and stir to combine.  Set aside.
  3. To make the strudel dough:In a food processor add the flour and salt, and pulse to combine.  Add the water, oil, and lemon juice/vinegar (the acid helps relax the gluten making the pastry dough more elastic) and, if using, the egg.  Pulse until the dough comes together.  Do not over-knead. Alternatively you can do this in a stand mixer or by hand. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface, slam it down a few times to encourage the gluten development, and knead for a couple of minutes.  If the dough is too sticky add a little more flour.  If it is too dry add a little more water.  Form the dough into a ball.Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, turn the ball around in the bowl to lightly coat the ball  in oil, then cover with plastic wrap and let it sit at room temperature for 1 hour.  Do not rush this process, the gluten in the flour need time to relax so that it becomes more elastic.  The dough is not going to rise during this time since there is no yeast in it, but it's going to relax and soften.
  4. Preheat the oven to 375 F(190 C). Line a baking sheet.Lightly flour a clean work surface and roll the dough out to a diameter of 12-15 inches.  On a clean work surface, spread out an extra large, clean, smooth dish towel or a tablecloth and very lightly flour it.  Transfer the dough onto the cloth, smoothing any wrinkles in the cloth, and brush with 1/3 of the butter (this will help moisten the dough to help prevent it from ripping when we stretch it).Very gently lift and stretch the dough from the center to the outside, working your way around the perimeter of the dough to form a large rectangular, using your knuckles at first to move from center to the outer perimeter (be sure to remove any jewelry that could get caught on the dough).Continue this process, gently pulling and stretching any thicker areas of dough.  The dough is thin enough when it starts to look translucent and you can see the pattern of the cloth underneath it.  The thinner the dough, the flakier the pastry.  Trim off the thick band of dough around the pastry sheet, leaving a thin pastry sheet that's about the size of your standard baking sheet (18x26 in).
  5. Brush half of the remaining butter over the pastry sheet.  Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over half of the pastry sheet, leaving an inch around the edges.  Spread the apple mixture over the breadcrumbs.Fold in the sides over the apple mixture to prevent it from spilling out, then use the dish towel/tablecloth to lift the end of the roll with the apples, rolling it onto itself all the way to end.  Alternatively roll the strudel and then tuck the sides under the roll to prevent the filling from spilling out.Transfer the strudel to a lined baking sheet with the seam side down and brush with the remaining melted butter.Bake the strudel on the middle rack for 30-40 minutes or until the crust turns a rich golden. Remove the apfelstrudel from the oven, let it cool slightly, and then give it a generous dusting of powdered sugar. Serve immediately while the crust is still crispy (it will soften as the strudel cools). Slice the warm strudel and serve with your choice of vanilla ice cream, or vanilla sauce.

Nutrition Information

Calories 236kcal (12%) Carbohydrates 31g (10%) Protein 4g (8%) Fat 11g (17%) Saturated Fat 4g (20%) Polyunsaturated Fat 2g Monounsaturated Fat 3g Cholesterol 29mg (10%) Sodium 88mg (4%) Potassium 80mg (2%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 11g (22%) Vitamin A 196IU (4%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 22mg (2%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 236

% Daily Value*

Calories 236kcal 12%
Carbohydrates 31g 10%
Protein 4g 8%
Fat 11g 17%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2g 12%
Monounsaturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 29mg 10%
Sodium 88mg 4%
Potassium 80mg 2%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 11g 22%
Vitamin A 196IU 4%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 22mg 2%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.