Cakes & biscuits
Apple strudel with hand-stretched pastry
Hand-stretched pastry encloses apples, raisins and buttery toasted breadcrumbs.
- Total time
- 110 min
- Servings / pieces
- 8
- Topic
- Cakes & biscuits
Hand-stretched pastry encloses apples, raisins and buttery toasted breadcrumbs. Its fine layers come from rolling a single very thin sheet around the filling. The crumbs absorb some apple juice and help prevent a soggy bottom. Choose firm, tart apples that retain a little shape during baking. A large clean kitchen towel makes stretching and rolling much easier. Small tears can be patched; a needlessly thick sheet stays chewy even with extra baking. Give the finished strudel a short rest before cutting so the hot filling does not tumble out.
Method
Step by step
- 01
Knead a stretchy dough
Knead the flour, water, oil and salt for eight to ten minutes until smooth and elastic. Coat lightly with a little oil and rest under an upturned bowl for 30 minutes at room temperature.
- 02
Prepare the filling
Melt 30 g butter in a frying pan. Toast the breadcrumbs over medium heat until golden, then cool. Peel, core and thinly slice the apples. Mix with the lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon and raisins.
- 03
Stretch the pastry
Heat the oven to 190°C conventional. Lightly flour the towel. Roll the dough on it first, then carefully stretch it over the backs of your hands, working outwards from the centre. Aim for an almost transparent sheet about 50 × 60 cm. Trim off thick edges.
- 04
Fill and roll
Melt the remaining butter and brush a thin layer over the dough. Spread the crumbs and apple mixture over the lower third, leaving 4 cm clear at the sides. Fold the sides inward and use the towel to roll up. Transfer seam-side down to a lined tray.
- 05
Bake until golden
Brush with butter and bake for 35–45 minutes, brushing lightly again after about 20 minutes. The pastry should be golden and the apples tender. Rest for 15 minutes, cut into thick slices and dust lightly with icing sugar.
Times are a guide. Your hob, oven and ingredients affect the result; use the cooking cues as well as the clock.
Repairing small tears
Cover little holes with thin pieces of trimmed pastry. Avoid kneading the whole sheet again, which would require another rest. Roll close to the baking tray to make transferring the filled strudel easier.
Managing juicy apples
If the apple mixture releases lots of liquid, briefly drain it before filling. Leave the juice behind. Extra sugar does not replace breadcrumbs and can draw even more moisture from the fruit.
Kitchen questions
One more question?
Can I use ready-made pastry?
Yes. Brush several thin strudel or filo sheets individually with butter and overlap them. Follow the packet guidance as well as checking the filling during baking.
What should I serve alongside?
Unsweetened whipped cream or vanilla sauce works well. Reheat leftovers briefly at 160°C in the oven; microwaving softens the pastry.
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