102 votesNo amount of words can describe the taste and sensation of biting into a well-made apple strudel. The thin and crispy crust with warm sweet apples inside is a more refined and sophisticated version of apple pie, and one that is a whole new different level. Making apple strudel the traditional way is laborious and not exactly something that you can whip up when the craving calls for it. This recipe for apple strudel is a simple but nonetheless delicious and elegant dessert dish. Pair it with a glass of Jurancon and you are in heaven.
Apple strudel is made from simple ingredients. The crucial thing is to make very thin elastic sheet of leavened dough. This will be rolled and wrapped around the filling, which consists of apples, bread crumbs, and dried grapes (or raisins) flavored with cinnamon, butter, and sugar. The filling is very much like apple pie and you can use a variety of apples, as long as they hold their structure well when baked. Sweet and tart apples like Granny Smith, Pippin, Golden Delicious, and Jonagold are some of the popular apple varieties used to make pies and pastries.
Some like to top their strudel with whipped cream, vanilla sauce or ice cream for a more decadent version. A short-cut and easier way to make apple strudel is to use phyllo sheets, which are available frozen in most supermarkets. Like phyllo sheets, apple strudel pastry is paper thin and ideally, translucent that you can read a book through it.
The apple strudel is traditionally oblong-shaped. The dough is kneaded until smooth, supple and elastic. It is best to use a rolling pin and to stretch the dough with your hand. While the dough should be stretched very thinly, any holes that appear have to be mended.
In a bowl, mix the flour and salt and gradually add the water and the oil. Add the vinegar and egg and blend until you get supple dough. Knead for about five minutes until it is not sticky. Form into a ball and cover it with plastic wrap. Allow dough rest for 2 hours in an ambient temperature.
Peel the apples and dice into pieces about ½ inch in size. Place the diced apple, cinnamon, 3.5 oz. sugar, and dry grapes in a large bowl. Allow to macerate for about 1 hour.
Spread the dough as thin as possible (about 1/10 inch). Spread the molten butter, then the remaining ingredients (except the milk), and garnish over the thinly spread dough. Add the breadcrumbs. Further garnish with the macerated apples.
Roll together to create a cylinder of about 2 inches in height. Use a brush to glaze the top with milk. Cook in a 400 degree F oven for about 40 minutes.
