Viennese Apple Strudel

Name: Viennese Apple Strudel
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h 40 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 260 g of Manitoba Flour; 3 g of Table Salt; 1 Eggs; 110 ml of Water; 20 ml of Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 2 tablespoons of Vegetable Oil; 1.3 kg of Apples; 130 g of Brown Sugar; 120 g of Raisins; 40 g of Pine Nuts; 1 Lemon; 6 g of Cinnamon; Natural Vanilla Flavoring; 100 g of Bread Crumbs; 50 g of Butter; Rum; 40 g of Butter; Powdered Sugar

Viennese apple strudel with hand-stretched dough and a filling of apples, raisins, pine nuts and cinnamon: the traditional Apfelstrudel, step by step.

Difficulty Medium
Preparation 1 hour
Cooking 40 minutes
Servings for 8 people

Viennese apple strudel, or Apfelstrudel, is one of the signature desserts of Vienna and of Central European pastry, still served today in the historic cafés of the Austrian capital. Its roots lie in Ottoman pastry, the same tradition that gave rise to baklava: from there comes the idea of a very thin dough, stretched by hand until it is as transparent as a veil. In Vienna this technique became an art: no shortcrust, but the classic Strudelteig, an elastic dough stretched over the backs of the hands.

The filling combines sweet, firm apples, raisins, pine nuts, cinnamon and breadcrumbs toasted in butter, which soak up the fruit juices and keep the pastry crisp. The secret is to gather the filling into a single compact log instead of spreading it over the whole surface. The result is a dessert that is crisp outside and soft and fragrant inside, perfect for an afternoon snack or to end a holiday lunch.

Ingredients for 8 people

For the strudel dough:
260 g of Manitoba Flour
3 g of Table Salt
1 Eggs medium
110 ml of Water lukewarm, about 30 °C (85 °F)
20 ml of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tablespoons of Vegetable Oil
For the filling:
1.3 kg of Apples Stark Delicious or Granny Smith, about 5
130 g of Brown Sugar
120 g of Raisins
40 g of Pine Nuts
1 Lemon organic
6 g of Cinnamon
Natural Vanilla Flavoring to taste
100 g of Bread Crumbs
50 g of Butter to toast the breadcrumbs
Rum optional, for the raisins to taste
To finish:
40 g of Butter
Powdered Sugar to taste

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Method

To make the Viennese apple strudel, start with the dough: sift the flour into a bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer and mix it with the salt. Make a small well in the center and pour in the beaten egg, the lukewarm water and the extra virgin olive oil.
Mix first with the paddle and then with the dough hook at medium speed for at least 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. If you are kneading by hand, slap it down hard on the pastry board several times: this way you will develop the gluten well, which is essential for stretching the dough without tearing it.
Shape it into a ball, coat it with a drizzle of vegetable oil, wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Rinse the raisins and soak them in lukewarm water, adding a splash of rum if you like.
In a large bowl, combine the juice and grated zest of the lemon, the brown sugar, the cinnamon and the pine nuts and mix. Peel and core the apples and cut them into slices about 3 mm (1/8 inch) thick; add them to the bowl with the well-squeezed raisins and mix with your hands to coat everything well.
In a large skillet, melt 50 g of butter with the vanilla, if using, then add the breadcrumbs and toast them for a few minutes, stirring, until well browned. Let them cool slightly.
Spread a large kitchen towel, about 80 x 70 cm (32 x 28 inches), on the work surface and flour it well. Place the dough in the center and roll it out with a rolling pin into a rectangle of about 30 x 40 cm (12 x 16 inches). Coat the surface with a thin film of vegetable oil, using a brush or your hands.
Now stretch the dough by hand: gently lift the edges and stretch them first with your fingertips, then with the backs of your hands cupped into loose fists, working all the way around. Then move on to the center and continue patiently until you have a very thin, almost transparent rectangle of about 60 x 80 cm (24 x 32 inches).
Preheat a conventional oven to 190 °C (375 °F) and melt the 40 g of butter for finishing. Add the toasted breadcrumbs to the apples and mix. Arrange the filling along one of the short sides of the dough, pressing it with your hands into a log about 40 cm (16 inches) long and leaving a margin of about 20 cm (8 inches) from the edge. Don’t spread the filling over the whole sheet, or the dough will absorb the moisture from the apples and stay raw.
Brush the uncovered part of the dough with a little melted butter. Fold the free margin over the apples, then lift the towel and let the strudel roll over on itself, keeping the filling tightly enclosed. Trim the excess dough at the sides and tuck the ends under the roll.
Slide the strudel onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, again using the towel to help you, seam side down. Place it diagonally if the baking sheet is short and brush it with the melted butter.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the surface is well browned. As soon as it comes out of the oven, brush it with the remaining butter, which will protect it from moisture, let it cool for about 15 minutes and finish with a generous dusting of powdered sugar before serving. Finally, remember to download our App with exclusive content and fewer ads!

Variations and Alternatives

If you have leftover dough, roll it out again, cut it into strips and fry them in peanut oil at 170 °C (340 °F) for a few seconds per side: you will get light, bubbly chiacchiere, Italian carnival fritters, to dust with powdered sugar. In the filling you can replace the pine nuts with chopped walnuts or almonds, or add a few tablespoons of apricot jam for a softer taste.

Tips

Choose sweet, juicy apples that stay firm when baked, such as Stark, Red Delicious, Boskoop, Envy or Granny Smith, even mixed together. Instead of Manitoba flour you can use a type 1 flour, similar to the flour used in Austria. Keep the roll within 40-45 cm (16-18 inches) in length, so it fits easily in the oven without having to curve it. For a truly Viennese serving, accompany it with unsweetened whipped cream or vanilla sauce.

Storage

Viennese apple strudel keeps at room temperature, under a glass dome, for 1 day; in the fridge, well covered, for up to 3 days. Before serving, warm it for a few minutes in the oven at 160 °C (320 °F) to bring back the crispness of the pastry. You can also freeze it once baked, whole or in slices, for about 1 month.