Walter’s Famous Apfel Strudel
WALTER’S “REALLY FOR SURE”
AUSTRIAN APFEL STRUDEL
(Note A: Translated as best as possible from German)
NOTE: You can download this recipe in Microsoft Word or PDF formats. Links are at the bottom of the page!!
DOUGH
- 2 cups of unbleached all-purpose Flour
- ½ tsp. of Salt
- 1 large Egg
- 2 tbsp. Vegetable Oil
- 1 tbsp. White Wine
- 2/3 cup Milk at room temperature
Place all ingredients into electric mixer bowl in the above order. Using mixer paddle, mix at slow speed until dough leaves the side of bowl and clings to paddle. (You may need to add more flour to reach this consistency, depending on flour, air humidity, etc.)
Gather dough and place on floured wooden surface. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic.
Place dough into ceramic or glass bowl VERY WELL coated with vegetable oil. Turn dough in bowl to coat all sides with oil and brush more oil on top and sides of dough.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for at least two, and up to eight hours. (Dough does not rise.)
FILLING
Part 1:
- ½ stick of Butter (4 oz.)
- ½ cup plain Bread Crumbs
- ¼ cup Sugar
Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat.
Mix crumbs and sugar together and add to skillet. Sauté till deep golden brown, stirring frequently. Don’t burn! Set aside.
(Note B: This has been the EASY part!)
FILLING
Part 2:
- ½ cup slivered Almonds
- 3 Granny Smith Apples
- 2 tbsp. fresh squeezed Lemon Juice
- ½ cup Raisins
- ¼ cup Sugar
- ½ tsp. Cinnamon
- 2 tbsp. Rum
- 3 tbsp. Calvados
(Note C: Good idea to sip some rum to be sure it’s OK — also to fortify yourself for the rest of the recipe.)
In small to medium skillet toast almonds over medium to high heat, shaking and stirring frequently till lightly browned. Set aside.
Pour lemon juice into 6 cup measure. Core and peel apples, cut into ¼” slices crosswise, then slice crosswise the other way very thin (1/16″). Add to lemon juice immediately and stir to coat. Add raisins to apple mixture and stir. Mix sugar and cinnamon and add to apple raisin mixture and stir. Add rum and Calvados, stir, and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside for at least an hour.
(Note D: If you’ve made it this far, you might as well keep going.)
VANILLA SAUCE
- 1 cup heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 cup Milk
- 1 Vanilla Bean
- 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
- 7 Egg Yolks
- ½ cup Powdered Sugar
Combine heavy cream and milk in medium saucepan. Split and scrape vanilla bean, add to saucepan. Bring almost to boil over medium heat. Place egg yolks into medium bowl Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Whisk till well blended. Strain hot mixture into egg yolks and return to sauce pot. Stir almost constantly over low heat until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes (?). Will be the consistency of thin white sauce.
Return to bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside.
(Note E: NOW for the true test of your ability as an Austrian chef — and our ability to translate.)
ASSEMBLY
Add toasted almonds to apple mixture and stir well. Preheat oven to 390º. Spread 30″ x 30″ tea towel on counter and sprinkle with flour. Remove dough from bowl and flatten in hands as much as possible. Place dough on center of towel and flatten more with hands (like pizza dough) pushing toward edge of towel.
(Note F: Sipping some more rum here might be a help.)
Begin carefully stretching dough working evenly all around toward edges of towel. Lift dough and stretch from underneath taking care not to tear dough. Dough will be very thin. Melt 1 stick of butter. When dough covers entire towel, brush surface thoroughly with melted butter. Using kitchen shears trim front edge (nearest you) evenly. Pile crumb mixture in mound about six inches wide, about 6″ from trimmed edge and to within 8″ of each side edge. Fold trimmed front edge away from you to cover crumbs. Trim side edges evenly and fold each side edge toward center over ends of covered crumbs. Keep brushing butter on all new surfaces. With hands, squeeze most of liquid from apple mixture and place mixture on top of dough that covers crumbs. Using towel to lift filled dough, roll away from you, brushing butter on all surfaces and sealing ends of roll.
(Note G: CAUTION! Do NOT roll towel into the pastry and bake towel! See Note F.)
When entire dough has been rolled, sealed and brushed, using the towel to help, carefully roll onto parchment-lined cookie sheet. Curve roll slightly to fit if necessary. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown. Carefully slide roll on parchment onto wooden cutting board and allow to cool 10 to 15 minutes.
(Note H: And if you’re not too exhausted —)
TO SERVE
With sharp serrated knife cut into 2″ slices. Place on dessert plate and sprinkle top of crust generously with powdered sugar. Add vanilla sauce to plate BESIDE not on top of the slice. (Warm sauce slightly if it has been refrigerated).
Best served warm from oven. Can be reheated in 200º oven for ten minutes, NOT in microwave!
(Note I: The management accepts all credit for successful completion of this recipe, and no responsibility for failures.)
