Apple Strudel

Anyone Can Cook Culinary Series

FOR THE APPLE FILLING

1. In a bowl, mix the sliced apples, cinnamon and sugar, cover and rest in the fridge overnight to allow the apple to soften. Strain apples to remove excess liquid.

FOR THE STRUDEL DOUGH

1. In a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment, combine flour, sugar and salt. Add unsalted butter and egg and mix on low speed until combined. Add the water slowly with the lowest speed on the machine. Start with 1/4 cup, add more till dough is not dry, but not too wet.
2. When the dough has come together, remove the bowl and replace the paddle with the dough hook. Mix on second speed for 5 to 8 minutes until you have a "window structure" in the dough. Test this by turning off the machine and taking some of the dough and pulling between your fingers to make a thin film like structure.
3. Remove dough from mixing bow, shape into a ball and place in an old bowl. Oil the top of the dough lightly and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to rest for 2-3 hours.
4. Put the rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. It's best if you have a sock area that you walk around all sides, like a 36 inc round table. Cover your work area with. clean tablecloth, dust with flour and rub it into the fabric. Put your dough in the middle and roll it out as much as you can.
6. Then using your hands, dusted with flour, stretch and pull the dough from the center to the edges, trying to avoid putting holes in the dough. Keep stretching - moving around the table to stretch all sides of the dough. Pull the dough over the edges of table, stretching thinner and thinner until it's a rectangle about 2 feet wide and 3 feet long. It will be tissue thin by this time. If you have any tears, just pinch them back together. Cut away the thick dough around the edges. The dough is now ready to be filled.
7. Spread half the melted butter on top of the strudel dough with a feather pastry brush or your hands (a bristle Bruch cold tear the dough) leaving butter border of about 2 1/2 inches on each side. Sprinkle the graham crackers crumbs on top of the butter (they soak up the moisture while baking).
8. Spread a line of apples evenly about 3 inches from the short edge of the dough in a 6-inch wide strip. Top with the rum soaked raisins and chopped walnuts. Fold the short end of the dough onto the filling, then carefully lift the floured tablecloth at the the shore end of the drought so that the strudel tightly and evenly rolls onto itself.
9. Transfer the strudel to the prepared baking sheet seam side down, by carefully lifting it, possibly curing into a horseshoe shape to fit. Tuck the ends under the strudel.
10. Brush the remaining melted butter over the top of the strudel, and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Allow to rest for one hour, and then bake at 400ºF (190ºC) about 30 minutes or until the strudel is a deep golden brown.
11. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Use a serrated knife and serve either warm or at room temperature with vanilla cream anglaise or vanilla ice cream. It's best on the day it's baked.

FOR THE VANILLA CREAM ANGLAISE

1. In a small heavy saucepan, bring half and half just to a boil with vanilla bean and remove pan from heat. Scrape seeds from beans with a knife into half and half, reserving pod rot another use, if desired.
2. In a bowl, whisk together egg yolks, sugar and a pinch of salt, and then whisk in hot vanilla half and half in a steady stream. Return mixture to pot and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly until thickened (170ºF on a candy thermometer); DO NOT LET BOIL.
3. Strain sauce through a fine sieve into a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally. Stir in rum or calvados. Chill sauce, covered, until very cold for up to 2 days. Makes 2 1/4 cups.

Source: DCL Anyone Can Cook Handout

Created 2023-01-31 11:21:06 – Last Modified 2024-02-02 08:03:19