Strudel, an Austrian dessert, is how we’ll be celebrating and sweetening the winter months. We picked an Apple Cranberry Strudel for its bright colors and slightly tart flavor.
The Seasoned Farmhouse Chef Joshua Wickham shows you how to make this delicate yet fulfilling pastry step-by-step. Get ready to play with powdered sugar and large swaths of dough. A fun recipe for the whole family, to be sure.
-Coleen Leonardi
Ingredients
- 4 to 6 apples, large diced (about 2 pounds)
- 1½ cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 cup finely chopped walnuts
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2½ cups flour
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 5 to 6 ounces water
- 3 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 2 to 3 ounces melted butter
- 1 cup toasted bread crumbs
- 2 ounces melted butter
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
For the Filling: Gently toss all filling ingredients and set aside.
For the Dough: Combine flour, salt, water, and oil in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low until just combined.
Remove the shaggy dough from the bowl and knead by hand on a lightly floured surface until smooth and supple, about 5 to 8 minutes. Lightly oil the dough and set in a bowl, cover and allow to rest for 1 hour.
Once rested, turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to a 10-inch by 12-inch rectangle.
Cover the end of a table with a CLEAN patterned table cloth and lightly flour to prevent sticking. Move the dough to the cloth and begin stretching with the back of your hands from the center working outward. Continue stretching until the dough sheet is roughly 20 inches by 30 inches. You should be able to see the pattern on the cloth through the dough.
Trim the rough edges of the dough with a scissors or a very sharp knife.
For the Topping: Lightly spread the melted butter over the dough and sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly over the surface.
Gently pour the filling across the bottom third of the dough sheet (on the short side) leaving about 3 inches of dough uncovered on the bottom and about 2 inches on each side.
Use the cloth to lift the dough and roll it unto itself, continue to roll until all of the dough is surrounding the filling.
Gently transfer the strudel to the lined baking sheet. Lightly brush with butter and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake for 30 minutes until pastry is golden brown and the apples are tender.
Allow to cool, slice and serve with lightly whipped cream. Sprinkle powdered sugar on at the very end for more sweetness and beauty.
Yield 8-10 servings
