Tag: tourist

APPLE STRUDEL or “Apfelstrudel”

Leave a comment

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!!

~~~

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.

~~~
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.

————————————————————————————————————————-
References:  Edelweiss Cooking School, Medievalists. Gambero Rosso, Lilvienna, Culturetrip,

MARZIPAN – MARCH BREAD

Leave a comment

First of all, I love sweets!  Yes, I’ve said it.  Candy, chocolates, pastry, cakes, pies and tarts!  I do not discriminate.  There’s hardly a bakery, patisserie, Godiva, Lindt or Ghirardelli shop I haven’t been into.  Whenever I travel, I am immediately and irresistibly drawn to specialty confection and pastry shops.  Our recent trip to Spain satisfied all those desires.

Here in the states, most people think of marzipan, if they’ve even heard of it at all, as those small candy confections molded and colored to look like miniature fruit, usually only available around the holidays and sold in specialty shops.  In Great Britain and Europe, there’s a broader view and range of marzipan which includes using marzipan as fondant to cover cakes, as well as a filling in tarts and pies.  While in Spain, I was quite surprised to learn that not only was marzipan invented there (sorry Italy), but there are confectionery shops dedicated to making and, of course, selling marzipan.  I don’t know why this surprised and fascinated me, but it did.

Here in the northeast, along the seashore,  we have specialty candy shops which sell ‘salt water taffy’.  This sweet, boiled and pulled taffy (which my dentist will no longer let me eat) is generally made in large copper kettles in full view of the public.  Candy stores and gift shops up and down the coast sell this sweet confection, in individually-wrapped pieces, from large bins to tourists who try to choose between the many different flavors.  Ergo marzipan!

If you’re not familiar with marzipan, it is a sweet, thick paste made from ground almonds and sugar, commonly referred to as a ‘sweetmeat’.  And as with all great things, who invented it is up for debate.  The Italians say it was invented in Sicily.  Spain claims it was invented in Spain. Greece takes credit for it, as well as Germany and the Middle East.  After being in the small village of Toledo, Spain, I think I now have the whole story.

Spain was settled by the Romans, but during the 5th century the Visigoths conquered the Romans and took over the kingdom.  The Visigoths established the village of Toledo as their capital.  It was a turbulent time.  Hostilities were everywhere … between the Catholics, the Aryans and the Arabs, who were now moving in.  By the end of the 6th century, the Arabs had successfully taken over and drove the Visigoths from Toledo.  The Arabs settled into this peninsula bringing with them, among many other foods,  almonds, asparagus, dates, figs, grapes, strawberries and olives.  None of these foods had been known to the Europeans before this time.

Southern Spain flourished.  Wealth was being generated by the now rich and fertile farmlands.  Irrigation systems were developed.  Dams were built.  Windmills were constructed. And Jews, Christians, and Muslims all lived together peacefully.  But nothing is forever.  Christian forces started moving down from the north and captured this area in 1085.  The battles took years and dried up all the food sources.

There was widespread famine everywhere.  It was devastating. The wheat fields and storerooms were gone and with no wheat to make bread, what would the people eat?  What Toledo still had stored, however, was sugar and almonds.  The nuns from the Convent of San Clemente, in an effort to come up with something to feed the starving population, created a paste combining these two ingredients, sugar and almonds.  Some historians claim eggs were added to it, others claim ground chicken meat was added to it, but the fact that a paste using these ingredients was fed to the people and kept them from starving to death.

Is it possible the nuns could have had prior knowledge about mixing these ingredients?  We don’t know for sure, but we do know that a paste made from ground almonds and eaten during Ramadan is mentioned in The Book of One Thousand and One Nights, written around the 8th or 9th century.  Because of its extensive cultural heritage, Toledo was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986.  And with such a fascinating and rich heritage, you’ll find nuns from the many Convents in Toledo still making this very popular confection today.  Should you be fortunate enough to travel to this fascinating little town of Toledo, you can actually take a marzipan making class, which I wish we had time to do.  Definitely with our next visit!

Marzipan which literally translates as March Bread is a sweet, nutty confection known and enjoyed all over the world.  Italy, of course, is a large producer, as is Germany and the Middle East, but to proudly wear the D.O. (designation of origin) stamp assigned by the Mazapán de Toledo Counsel, the marzipan must be made in Toledo and contain at least 50% almonds.

Although we didn’t take the marzipan cooking class, we certainly did purchase and sample as much as we could.  Marzipan shops line every street in this quaint town.  Creamy in texture, rich in flavor, from simple bite-sized pieces to large impressive sculpted designs … none of those fussy little imitation fruits … this was the best marzipan I have ever had.  But now that we’re home and all the marzipan is gone, you know I’m going to try making it myself.  How difficult could it be?

This is a recipe I found online.  Now to go shopping …

MARZIPAN

  • 2 cups finely ground blanched almonds, or almond flour
  • 2 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1 egg white
  • 1 tsp pure almond extract
Instructions
  1. In a food processor blend together the almonds and sifted sugar.
  2. Stir together the honey, egg white and almond extract.
  3. With the food processor turned on, slowly add the honey mixture in a slow stream.
  4. When all of the honey has been added the marzipan should hold together, like play dough.
  5. If it is a little too dry add more honey a tablespoon at a time.

  6. Form the marzipan into a log and cut it into two or three portions,  wrapping each one tightly in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate until ready to use.  Will last two to three weeks.


    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
    References:  Arab America, World History, Eye on Spain, Wikipedia,
    ___________________________________________________________________________