Comments on: Shortcut Apple Strudel

By: Dragon

Dragon — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 05:01:13 +0000

@ Clarissa – maybe you meant streusel??

I did apple strudel once using filo sheets. With only 3 people in the house, the finished product was HUGE – could have fed 12 people easily. Not a big fan but I figured since my daughter loves my Dutch apple pie, she would enjoy the strudel. NOT!

By: present tense

present tense — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 07:54:29 +0000

I don’t think there is a secret to apple strudel. We did have some flaked almonds along with the apple but that is generic. You really need to roll the puff really thinly. And I mean really thinly. Roll it. And stretch it. Until it thins out. Until you can actually read newspaper print through it. Then put in the cooked apples, roll, some eggwash, then bake. The pastry needs to be rolled really thinly. It’s not a secret – but that is apple strudel

By: tonceq

tonceq — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 16:38:55 +0000

hmmm…. might really be the ratio of the apples, but if you’d really want that many apples then I concur with your initial idea of heating those up in pan with some butter as I usually do for apple pies! maybe just limit the amount of butter so it’s not too soggy? though I’m not sure if butter is originally included in strudel’s list of ingredients. :)

By: Footloose

Footloose — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 13:02:49 +0000

The first cookbook I bought was Time-Life’s The Cooking of Vienna’s Empire in 1968 that includes a detailed account of apfelstrudel production which was assigned only to advanced bakers at Demel’s. The article mentions the requirements of a superior apple strudel: steady hands and cool concentration, high-gluten flour and once baked, it has to be consumed before the butter congeals after which time, they say, it would have tasted stale. The article did not recommend the type of apple for filling but enumerated instead the variety of fillings they use. The long list includes sweetened cabbage, baker’s cheese and sautéed mushrooms. Aside from its romantic appeal and the ornate setting where they serve it (if you’re in Vienna) I too would rather have a slice of apple pie any time.

By: present tense

present tense — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 12:10:33 +0000

In cooking school while making apple strudel, chef said to make the pastry dough so thin that you could read newspaper print. Then we calibrate with lemon to get desired taste. Eggwashed after. Puff is also good for napoleons. We use sugar mainly to draw out the juices.

By: present tense

present tense — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 12:10:32 +0000

By: Mimi

Mimi — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 06:29:45 +0000

Maybe a liberal splash of Calvados would doctor it up?

By: James

James — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 05:07:50 +0000

The lack of good taste came with the raisins! I know it to be true!

Actually, I’m just not a fan of raisins in things. I like them raw. People put them in empinada here. Bleh!

Try an open-face pastry next time … with apples and lots of yummy brown pure cane sugar and cinnamon. Stew all of them together and just slap onto a piece of flat puff pastry. Turn the pastry edges in and bake until golden brown and delicious.

By: Clarissa

Clarissa — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 02:55:43 +0000

After reading this, I looked up the definition of strudel since I always associated strudel to be something like an open-faced pie, which it isn’t! I’ve been miscontrued by the labels of items on famous bakery chains. :)

This looks good, too bad it doesn’t taste good. Lesson learned in every failed recipe :)

By: Janlo

Janlo — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 02:44:57 +0000

Oooh, i want to try to make a strudel but will have to put that on hold until I get a new oven. In the meantime, can you suggest a place where I can buy really good apple pie?