I love to bake. And anyone who knows me, pretty much knows that when I’m baking, I’m in my ‘happy place’. Cakes, cookies, pastries … it doesn’t matter. And, it really doesn’t matter if the bake comes out tasty or not (well, maybe a bit). Each and every one is fun to make as well as a learning experience, and I get to express my creativity. The real disasters, of course, end up in the trash. Most get handed out to family members. And some we eat, whether they’re successful or not.
This past Christmas hubby and i decided to escape the hectic pace of the holidays with all its expectations and we ran away. To Germany and Austria. For two weeks. To explore the traditional European Christmas Markets, which date back to the 13th century. (Yes, the trip was close to being perfect.) And while we were in Austria, I came across the opportunity to take a class in ‘apple strudel’ making. This was a tourist activity, without a doubt, but led by a professional pastry chef who saw the opportunity to take this classic Viennese pastry and create a cottage business around it. (If only I could come up with an idea like that.)
I wasted no time in signing us up for the class. We arrived at the designated time. Were greeted warmly. Put on our aprons and washed up. Located just off the main square in a dark, windowless cave, the ‘school’ itself couldn’t have been more picturesque.
Edelweiss Cooking School, Salzburg, Austria
As most people, I thought this iconic dessert, served in every restaurant and cafe throughout Austria, was of German or Austrian origin. But, as we learned, strudel actually originated in Turkey around the 14th century. When the Ottoman’s ruled most of Eastern Europe, this phyllo dough pastry based on Middle Eastern baklava, was introduced to the Habsburgs’ and the aristocracy loved it. It didn’t take long before pastry chefs began changing things up a bit; adding apples, raisins, replacing walnuts, etc. but soon it became in demand by everyone. The first handwritten recipe for strudel was actually discovered in Vienna in the Town Hall Library, dated 1696.
Introductions were made and we learned about the strudel’s origins, popularity and techniques to make one. Feeling a bit intimidated by this flaky, fruity, not overly-sweet, with a touch of cinnamon dessert, it was now time to try our hand at making one. Yikes!!
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APPLE STRUDEL (from the Edelweiss Cooking School)
Tools needed: Rolling pin, parchment paper, tablecloth or large tea towel, shallow baking pan, pastry brush. Bake at 375° 35 to 40 minutes. Serves 6 to 8 generously.
The Dough:
210 grams (1-1/4 cups) bread flour
125 grams (1/2 cup) water
pinch salt
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Thoroughly mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Turn the dough out and knead for about five minutes until the dough is silky smooth. (Or, if you prefer a stand mixer, use the bread hook and let it run for about five minutes.) Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover tightly and let the dough rest for at least two hours. You can refrigerate the dough at this point overnight, or freeze it to make another day.
The Filling:
5 or 6 firm cooking apples (such as Granny Smiths) peeled and sliced
100 grams (1/2 cup) sugar
50 grams (1/2 cup) buttered, toasted bread crumbs
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 stick butter, melted (might need a bit more)
1/2 cup raisins (optional) soaked overnight
Flour for dusting
First, melt some butter in a shallow pan and add the bread crumbs, coating well and toast til rich brown. Let cool.
Peel and slice the apples. Nice, but not necessary is to put the apples in a bowl and toss them with a bit of orange juice or lemon juice to keep from browning. Sprinkle the apples with sugar and cinnamon.
Dust a large tea towel, or tablecloth lightly with flour. Gently place the dough on the cloth and sprinkle with flour. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out until its about the size of a pizza. If it is difficult to roll, cover the dough and wait 20 minutes til the gluten relaxes a bit.
Here comes the tricky part. Flour your hands and pick up the dough, using the backs of your hands (flip your rings around or take them off). Reach under the dough and gently stretch it, allowing the weight of the dough to fall. Go around and around and around, slowly stretching and allowing the dough to become as thin as possible. Yes, you should be able to read a newspaper through it.
When the dough is at least four or five times its original size, gently lay it onto the floured cloth. Trim the dough to a rectangle and use the trimmings to fill in any holes which may have occurred.
Now brush the dough with half of the melted butter, then sprinkle the buttered bread crumbs over the dough, leaving a 2″ border around it..
Now it’s time to place the apples (and raisins, if you are using). The apples should be heaped at the top of the dough – leaving an inch or two at the top and on either side. Then take one side of the dough and fold it over the apples. Do the same on the other side. Now take the top and fold it down over the apples. You have now begun to create a little package encasing the apple filling and ready for rolling.
Now lift the top of the cloth and allow the weight of the apples to fall forward. It will roll up into a log all by itself. Using your hands, press it together to seal.
Brush the bottom seam with a little more butter and pinch the seam closed. Roll the log back onto the pastry cloth and use the cloth to slide the strudel onto a buttered baking tray, seam side down. Brush the strudel completely with the remaining melted butter. Bake in a preheated 375° oven for 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown and flaky on top.
When fully baked, remove the pan from the oven and let cool 10 to 15 minutes. Place the strudel on a serving platter, and generously sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar. Don’t waste any time … serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.
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Have I made this traditional strudel since we’ve been home. Absolutely! But, trying to photograph each step was tricky. So, I’m attaching a clip from (who else) Paul Hollywood, which, hopefully, will make it a lot easier to understand. Don’t be intimidated. Just do it! And, if you find yourself in Salzburg, Austria, sign up for this fun, delicious class!!
It’s a fun video to watch. Hopefully, you’ll enjoy it.
Paul Hollywood Learns How to Make an Apple Strudel.
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References: Edelweiss Cooking School, Medievalists. Gambero Rosso, Lilvienna, Culturetrip,
* I used Old Fashioned oatmeal, which is very coarse. To break the oats down a bit, I pulsed the oatmeal for a few seconds in a food processor. If you use ‘fast cooking’ oatmeal, you don’t need to do this.
Put the molasses, golden syrup, brown sugar, butter and milk in a saucepan and heat until the butter is melted. Then take it off the heat and cool until lukewarm. Beat in the eggs.
Add the liquid ingredients from the saucepan to the dry ingredients. Stir in quickly and beat until the batter is smooth.
Pour the batter into a greased 9″ x 9″ pan. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or til it pulls back from the sides and is cooked through. A tester should come out clean from the middle. Cool in the pan for a few minutes and then turn it out onto a wire rack to continue cooling.
In another bowl, beat the eggs and sugar til light and fluffy. Add the additional wet ingredients and blend well. Yes, I added a bit of green food coloring for dramatic effect.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and pour into a well-greased baking pan. A square pan, loaf pan, cake pan … it doesn’t matter. Bake time, however, will depend upon which pan size you use.
Bake for 30 to 50 minutes (loaf pan will take longer – cake pan will take less). When a toothpick tested in the center comes out clean and the sides pull away from the pan, it is done.
Be sure to put the kettle on and get your tea ready. The nutty texture from the pistachios combined with the perfume from the cardamom will warm your tummy and your spirits. If you want to splurge and add a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a dollop of whipped cream. Go right ahead! This is an easy-to-prepare, homey, quick cake (or bread) and, hopefully, you will love it as much as hubby and I. Happy sipping!!
Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and butter. Stir til smooth.
Now it’s time to cut inside each individual square. Cut a 1/4″ border around each square except for two corners. Leave two corners intact. Take one cut corner and bring it over to the inside of the other side. Now do the same with the opposite corner. You should have a diamond pattern (or envelope). Press down slightly around the edges.
Place the shaped puff pastry on parchment-lined baking sheets and place the baking sheets. Square them off a bit and place the baking sheets into the refrigerator. Puff pastry puffs up much better when its very cold. This is when I preheat the oven.
Bake the pastry til golden brown, about 20 mins. Remove from oven. Now take a sharp knife and remove the center portion of each pastry, creating a pocket, or cavity for the pastry cream. Place each pastry on a wire rack and let cool completely.
Now its time to assemble. What could be easier … spoon (or pipe) a dollop of pastry cream into the center of each individual pastry. Place a sliced strawberry on top and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Arrange your pastries on a serving tray until ready to serve. Then show them off to all your guests and wait for the oohs and ahhs. You deserve it!
In a large saucepan over medium heat, add the peeled, chopped zucchini. Add the lemon juice, white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Cook til softened – about 15 minutes. It will bubble up and appear very syrupy, add the cornstarch and continue cooking until very thick – about 5 more minutes. Remove from the heat and add the raisins. Set aside while you toast the bread crumbs.
Lightly beat the egg white and brush it onto the open edge to seal everything. Press it into the pastry roll tightly. You don’t want anything leaking out.
When the oven is ready, put the strudel into the center of the oven to bake – approximately 30 minutes. Check it quickly at 20 minutes to make sure its baking evenly. Turning the pan may be necessary for even baking.
Puff Pastry has layers of butter incorporated within the pastry, which when baked, causes pockets of steam to form in the dough. The dough then separates into flaky layers. Phyllo needs oil or melted butter brushed onto each pastry layer before baking, usually requiring three or more layers, it then becomes tender and flaky.
Spread the chocolate (or Nutella or even peanut butter, if you’d like) over the entire sheet of pastry. Sprinkle evenly with chopped nuts.
Now its time to preheat the oven to 400°. Take the rolled pastry out of the refrigerator and place it onto a cutting board. Cut into slices about 1/4″ to 1/2″ thick. It’s entirely up to you. The thicker the slices, the longer they will take to bake. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until they are golden and cooked through. Cool on a wire rack.
You can make a quick glaze using confectioners sugar and milk to drizzle over the top (or not).
In a large saucepan, melt three sticks of butter. Add the cocoa and stir.
After the mixture has cooled, pour it into the flour and mix well.
Pour the batter into greased and floured tins.
First get a very large pot with tightly fitting cover. Put a saucer, ramekin or something in the bottom of the pot so that the bowl you are going to steam your pudding in doesn’t sit directly on the bottom of the pot. Fill the pot halfway with water and bring to a boil.
Pour the Golden Syrup into the bottom of the bowl. Mix together the dry ingredients. In a mixing bowl beat the softened butter with the sugars and molasses (treacle) til light and fluffy. Add the eggs and beat well. Add the dry ingredients and grated lemon peel and blend til well combined.
Place the bowl into the pot, setting on top of the saucer or ramekin. I used a steamer basket, which worked beautifully. Make sure the water comes up to the middle of your pudding bowl. Cover the pot and steam for about 1-1/2 hours. The water should be a soft boil. If the water isn’t hot enough, the pudding won’t cook. Check the water level every now and then. You don’t want the water to boil away.
Sticky, sweet and gooey, everyone will love this humble, old fashioned dessert.
