Apple Strudel
From Thanksgiving to New Years, there’s really only one thing I’m thinking about: dessert. Starting with turkey day and all the way through new years there’s always decadent desserts. There are pies and cakes and so many cookies and cookie swaps… it’s easy to see why people tend to gain five to 10 pounds over the holidays. And I’m just as bad. I love sweets… especially if they’re chocolate. While chocolate is common this time of year, it’s not the most popular choice. No, that seems to be apple and pumpkin.
Apple pies, pumpkin breads, apple bars and pumpkin flans… those are the desserts that seem to rule the world from Halloween on. And while I love a slice of the classic apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting on top, there are so many other ways to use the apple. For Hanukkah, I make a big vat of apple sauce that, much like that little bit of oil, lasts all eight nights. I also enjoy apple cakes and apple slices dipped in chocolate because there’s no rule that says apple pie has to be the dessert for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Why can’t it be an apple bread pudding or a clafoutis? Why couldn’t it be… a strudel?
I’ve only had strudel a few times in my life, but every time it’s been a wonderful experience. The roasted apples, the rum or bourbon-soaked raisins, the cinnamon and allspice, the walnuts and of course that flakey, crispy dough. That dough! It’s the stuff dreams and nightmares are made of. When it’s done correctly it’s a wonderful dream from which you don’t want to wake. But it just as easily could be a nightmare because it doesn’t hold together or falls apart when you cut into it. These nightmares are why, similar to the pie, I’ve avoided making strudel for so long. The dough needs to be rolled and stretched into a nice long rectangle. A rectangle that’s like, 18 inches long and so thin you can read a newspaper through it. That’s hard to do. I’ve tried before and it constantly rips or breaks as I stretch it out or roll it up with the fruit inside. It’s why so many recipes skip homemade dough and go right for filo or puff pastry.
But since I overcame my fear of making pie dough, I decided to give strudel another try. I just couldn’t give up on that luscious filling. Thanks to recipes from Smitten Kitchen and Plated Cravings this time the dough came together with no ripping or splitting. It’s true, the dough is definitely trickier than the classic pie dough, but with patience and practice, it was definitely worth the effort. And similar to pie dough, the more times you make it, the quicker and easier it becomes to throw together. You can also serve it with vanilla ice cream just like pie. But the best thing about the strudel is if there are any leftovers (and you know there are going to be leftovers) you can warm it up and enjoy it for breakfast. Sure, you could eat the pie for breakfast too, but it’s frowned upon. For some reason it’s totally okay to eat strudel though. It’s considered more like a Danish, whereas pie is considered more of a dessert. But no matter how or when you choose to indulge in this strudel, it’ll be a dream come true!
Ingredients
- 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons flour
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup butter, melted and divided
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 3 tablespoons rum or bourbon
- 2 pounds apples, peeled and chopped
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/3 cup almonds, finely chopped (optional)
- powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Make the dough
- Combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Add 4 tablespoons of butter and water and mix until a rough dough forms. Turn it out onto a lightly floured counter and knead for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, the dough should be soft and silky to touch. Form into a ball and set aside for 30 minutes.
Make the Filling
- While the dough rests, combine the raisins and rum or bourbon in a small bowl and set aside.
- Place the chopped apples in a large bowl and toss with lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon and nuts (if you're using them). Strain the raisins from the liquor, add them to the apple mixture and toss until combined.
- Cover the counter with a linen towel and sprinkle with flour. Place the dough in the middle and roll out until it’s about 10-by-13 inches. Brush some of the remaining melted butter over the dough. Carefully stretch the dough with your hands until it's about an 18x12 inch rectangle.
Assemble strudel:
- On the long side of the rectangle, an inch or two in from the side, spread the apple mixture with a slotted spoon along the dough. Leave a 2-inch margin at the top and bottom of the apple strip. Gently pull the top and bottom edges of the dough over the apple mixture. Pull the right edge of the dough over the filling, and carefully use the towel to roll up the strudel. Gently place the strudel on the prepared baking sheet.
- Brush the strudel all over with the remaining melted butter. Bake for 45 minutes, rotating half way through, until the dough is crisp and golden brown. Cool for at least 20 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar, slice into pieces and serve.
