Apple Strudel
Real strudel means dozens of layers of pastry so thin you could read through it, wrapped around hot cinnamon apples. It sounds daunting, but the key is simply letting the dough rest well, after which it almost stretches itself. We think it is worth trying at least once — seeing the dough cover the whole table is a proper kitchen thrill.
- Prep
- 1 h
- Cook
- 40 min
- Rest
- 1 h 20 min
- Total
- 3 h
- Servings
- 8
- Level
- Challenging
- Per serving
- 380 kcal
Ingredients
For the dough
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What to use instead
Nuts soak up less juice than breadcrumbs. If the apples are very juicy, drain what they release after slicing, or add a tablespoon of semolina to the nuts — the base stays dry.
For the filling
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What to use instead
Short on nerve? Use 250 g ready-made filo: stack 6–7 sheets, brushing each with butter, and assemble in the same way.
To assemble
Makes: 1 strudel, 8 slices
Shopping list
The ingredients for the servings you chose — copy them or send them to a messenger. Tick what you already have at home: only the rest goes on the list.
Method
Oven
190 °C · top and bottom heat, no fan
With a fan: 170 °C
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Step 1: Make the dough
Mix the flour and salt, then add the warm water, oil and lemon juice. Knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth, elastic and silky — it should come away cleanly from your hands and the counter.
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Step 2: Rest the dough
Shape the dough into a ball, coat it with a thin film of oil, cover with a warmed bowl and leave for 1 hour. The gluten relaxes during this time so the dough stretches without tearing.
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Step 3: Prepare the filling
Toast the ground walnuts in the butter over medium heat for 3–4 minutes until golden and fragrant, then cool. Soak the raisins in boiling water for 10 minutes and pat dry. Right before assembling, peel the apples, slice them 3 mm thin and toss with the lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon and raisins.
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Step 4: Stretch the dough
Heat the oven to 190 °C (375 °F). Cover a table with a large clean cotton cloth and dust it with flour. Roll the dough out as thin as you can, then slip the backs of your fists underneath and gently stretch it from the centre outwards, working your way around the table, until it is translucent and roughly 60 × 80 cm. Small holes do not matter; trim off the thick edges.
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Step 5: Add the filling
Drizzle the dough with some of the melted butter. Scatter the nuts in a band along one short side, 5 cm in from the edge, and pile the apples on top in a strip about 10 cm wide.
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Step 6: Roll it up
Fold the side edges over the filling. Lift the cloth so the strudel rolls itself into a tight log. Tip it seam side down onto a lined baking tray, curving it into a horseshoe if needed, and brush with butter.
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Step 7: Bake the strudel
Bake for 35–40 minutes, brushing with butter again halfway through, until deep golden and crisp, with juices starting to seep from the ends.
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Step 8: Slice and serve
Let the strudel cool for 20 minutes, dust with powdered sugar and slice with a serrated knife.
Tips & variations
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Tip
If the dough tears or springs back, it has not rested enough: cover it and wait another 10–15 minutes. Warm hands and a warm kitchen help a lot.
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Swap
Short on nerve? Use 250 g ready-made filo: stack 6–7 sheets, brushing each with butter, and assemble in the same way.
-
Swap
Nuts soak up less juice than breadcrumbs. If the apples are very juicy, drain what they release after slicing, or add a tablespoon of semolina to the nuts — the base stays dry.
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Variation
Add 50 g toasted walnuts to the filling, and soak the raisins in a spoonful of rum instead of water.
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Storage
Strudel is best on the day it is baked. Keep leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat at 170 °C (340 °F) for 10 minutes to crisp the pastry.
Nutrition
| 1 serving | Whole dish 8 servings | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 380 kcal | 3,040 kcal |
| Protein | 5 g | 40 g |
| Fat | 13 g | 104 g |
| Carbohydrates | 61 g | 488 g |
Approximate values calculated from standard ingredient data.
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