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Apple Strudel from Puff Pastry
Instructions
Get all the ingredients ready for making apple strudel from puff pastry. Thaw the puff pastry so it is easy to work with. I use yeast-free puff pastry, but you can also take yeast puff pastry – it will turn out a little different in the finished bake, but it will still be tasty. 500 grams of pastry is two sheets. The amount of ingredients is calculated for 2 small strudels.
Pour boiling water over the raisins and leave them for 10 minutes. Then drain the water, lay the raisins on paper towels, and pat them dry.
Peel the apples and cut them into wedges. Slice the wedges into thin pieces.
Mix the apples with the raisins, add the lemon juice, vanilla sugar, starch, cinnamon, and sugar.
Mix the filling well.
Roll out the puff pastry as thin as you can. Ideally it should be almost see-through, showing the work surface underneath.
Lay out half the filling and spread it along one side, leaving about 2 cm to the edge.
Fold in the side edges so the filling does not leak out during baking but stays juicy.
Roll the pastry up into a roll as tightly as possible. Make cuts across the top. Shape the second strudel in the same way.
Transfer the pieces to foil or parchment, brush with beaten egg, and put them into an oven preheated to 180 degrees for 30 minutes. The baking time depends on the power of your oven.
Dust the finished strudels with powdered sugar and decorate them to taste.Enjoy making apple strudel from puff pastry. Have a lovely tea time!
Tips
- 1
ROLL THE PASTRY THIN – this is the "secret" to a crunchy strudel. Thick pastry will be "coarse", like a pie. Thin pastry gives tender layers.
- 2
STARCH IN THE FILLING – it "binds" the juice from the apples. Without starch, the juice will "run" into the pastry and the strudel will go soggy.
- 3
CUTS ON TOP – steam escapes and does not "blow up" the strudel. Without the cuts, the pastry will crack in random spots.
- 4
SOAK THE RAISINS – they will be tender. Dry raisins turn "rock-hard" when baked. The same principle works in other kinds of layered fruit pastry.
Video
FAQ
Which apples should you choose? +
Sweet-and-sour varieties are ideal (Antonovka, Simirenko, Granny Smith, Bogatyr). Alternatives: Golden (slightly sweet, so they need lemon), Idared (all-purpose), Jonagold. Not suitable: ones that are too sweet (honey varieties) or too sour (which need a lot of sugar). Choose firm, fresh apples with no cracks or brown spots. A size of 200–250 g is the best. Cut off the peel – it will be more tender. Sprinkle the apples with lemon juice before use so they do not darken. For a "premium" version, use a mix of 2–3 varieties (sour and sweet). Frozen apples are not suitable, as they release too much juice.
What can replace the raisins? +
Alternatives: dried apricots cut into cubes (softer, brighter in flavour), prunes (a dark note), dried cranberries (tart), dried cherries (for a "cherry" version). Nuts: chopped walnuts, almonds, or hazelnuts. Fresh berries: raspberries, strawberries, currants. Seedless raisins are easier to work with. Dark raisins are more aromatic than light ones. Do not use sweets or marmalade, as they will "melt" in the oven. For a "children's" version, leave out the raisins and replace them with fresh berries. For a "lean" version, make the filling without the egg wash on top – it will still be tasty.
How long does the strudel keep? +
In a container at room temperature – 24 hours. Any longer and the pastry goes stale. In the fridge, wrapped in film – 3 days. Reheating in the oven for 5–7 minutes at 150 °C brings back the crunch. In the microwave – I do not recommend it (the pastry turns "rubbery"). In the freezer, up to 1 month, wrapped in film. Thaw at room temperature for 1 hour or warm it in the oven for 10 minutes at 150 °C. Fresh strudel is at its best in the first 2–3 hours after baking, while warm. Dust it with powdered sugar just before serving (on a hot strudel it will melt). Do not leave it at room temperature for longer than 12 hours – the apples in the filling will start to run.
What to serve the strudel with? +
The Austrian classic: with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. With whipped cream or vanilla sauce. With a scoop of plain ice cream – it will melt from the warm strudel. With a cup of coffee with milk (a classic of Viennese cafés). With hot cocoa or a cappuccino. With a berry sauce (lingonberry or strawberry). With black tea and lemon – the "Russian" version. With a glass of mulled wine – a winter dessert. For a "family tea time", with homemade jam. It is ideal for a "Sunday breakfast" with coffee. With a liqueur or brandy – a "grown-up" dessert. It is a versatile sweet bake for all sorts of occasions.
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