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real apple strudel from the old country

(2 ratings)
sailboat avatar
Recipe by
Bonnie Beck
@sailboat
Route 66, AZ

Today was a leap of courage for me. Just the idea of stretching the dough so thin was terrifying. Once I had the dough looking as it should & started working it, it was magical. The Apple Strudel dough was flaky, light, & crisp. The filling came out perfect. Watch the video to understand & learn how to stretch the dough. If you are disabled as I am, you can do this. If you have a office chair w/rollers or a walker with a seat & a card table or table you can move around freely. This recipe is my own . I have read about the dough and understand the chemisty of it.

(2 ratings)
yield 12 serving(s)
prep time 1 Hr
cook time 40 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For real apple strudel from the old country

  • DOUGH-BOWL 1
  • 2 c
    all purpose flour sifted after measuring, plus 2 tablespoons
  • 1/4 tsp
    heaping salt
  • 1
    exlarge fresh organic egg, room temp., beaten with a fork lightly
  • 3/4 c
    milk, lukewarm
  • 2 tsp
    canola oil
  • APPLE FILLING-BOWL 2
  • 4
    apples, cored, peeled, sliced thin
  • zest of 2 lemons
  • juiced from half a lemon
  • 1 Tbsp
    boiled apple cider (optional)
  • 1 Tbsp
    pure vanilla extract
  • 3 Tbsp
    cane sugar
  • 1 Tbsp
    light brown sugar
  • 2 tsp
    cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp
    nutmeg
  • a pinch of cardamom
  • 1/2 c
    roasted pecans or walnuts, chopped (optional)
  • 1/8 c
    light raisins (soaked in boiling water or brandy and drained when plump)
  • 1/8 c
    dried sour cherries plumped in hot water or cherry brandy (optional) or you can used canned sour cherries well drained
  • 1/8 c
    currants (plumped) (optional)
  • CRUMB MIXTURE-BOWL 3
  • 1 c
    dried cake crumbs ( used the left over pound cake) or dry plain bread crumbs
  • 3 Tbsp
    european sweet butter, melted, not hot, but warm
  • BUTTER
  • 1 c
    european sweet butter, melted, not hot, but warm

How To Make real apple strudel from the old country

  • 1
    Take off all your rings. You don't want them snagging and tearing the dough. If you don't have or want to use the Boiled Apple Cider, just omit it and use 2 tablespoons of pure vanilla extract. You must PREHEAT the oven to 350* and your must have a warm kitchen of 70 degrees or higher. If you live in high altitude where it is dry or the desert where the air is dry, have a small pan of water simmerng lightly. It is better if you make Strudel on a rainy or snowy day or a day with humidity. Watch the video on how to stretch the dough. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RviSC83hoj0&feature=related
  • 2
    If you have a KitchenAide mixer you can use it to help make the dough. Make the dough by sifting the flour after you measure it. Add the salt and fluff into flour. Make a well in the middle of the dough, add the egg and oil. Start to mix and slowly pour the lukewarm milk in. Continue to mix until the dough is smooth. IT WILL BE SOME WHAT STICKY!!!! Turn out on a lightly floured board and throw the dough (I do mean THROW it!!!!) on to the lLIGHTLY floured board about 150 times (yes, it's true throw it about 150 times, count the throws). If the dough is still sticking to board add a LITTLE more flour to the board. Throwing the dough starts the gluten working. The dough should become smooth, shinny, elastic and easy to pick up without sticking to your fingers and hands and it should be SOFT. If it's still too sticky add a LITTLE more flour to the board and throw about 20 more times. Knead the dough a couple of seconds. Oil LIGHTLY the bowl and place dough in the bowl and LIGHTLY oil the top of the dough. Cover bowl and let the dough rest.
  • 3
    Peel, cored and slice apples. Add the boiled apple cider (I get mine from King Arthur), lemon zest, lemon juice, sugars, spices, nuts, raisins or sour cherries or currants. Or you can use all of them, just use less of each.
  • 4
    Mix the dry cake crumbs or dry bread crumbs with the 3 Tbls. melted butter to coat crumbs evenly.
  • 5
    On a regular cotton bed sheet, placed over the table, dust the center of the cloth with flour. Place the dough on the floured cloth and roll till it's a square or retangle. DON'T FLOUR YOUR ROLLING PIN) Butter lightly with the melt butter the top of dough. The dough should not be sticking. Start to stretch the dough by placing the top of your hands under it a lightly running your hands under the dough. Keep your hands close to the table and slightly lift up and out). Go around the table. THE DOUGH SHOULD BE EVENLY STRETCHED. If there is any spot that are thicker stretch it out. Take the edges of the dough and carefully (don't pull on the dough) stretch the dough side ways. Again run your hands under the dough all the way around evenly. Keep doing the steps tilL the dough is so thin you can read your print out of the recipe and see your hand. The dough should be hanging off the table if your using a card table of one of about that size. If you accidently tear the dough while stretching the dough DON'T NOT TRY AND FIX IT, just leave it.
  • 6
    Now either brush lightly some of the melted butter on the dough or sprinkle the melted butter with a brush evenly. Cut the thicker edges off the dough or carefully tear it. Take the filling and lay it not quite on the edge evenly. Sprinkle the dry cake crumbs or bread crumbs over the apples. Now take the bed sheet and flip the dough over the filling. Use the sheet to roll the dough over it's self till you come to the edge. Pull the sheet back to the center of the table and finish rolling with the sheet. Cut the edges off, but leave enough dough to close the Strudel by pinching and folding a little of it under. Lift on to a UNGREADED cookie sheet. It probably won't fix, so shape dough into a "C" shape or make a circle of it. Brush with the melted butter top and sides. Bake 350* for 35 to 40 mintues. Brush with melted butter top and sides every 10 minutes. When you touch the dough and it makes a cracking sound it is finished cooking and should be a lovely golden brown. Cool and dust with powder sugar.
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