Apple Strudel

There were plenty from our last Braeburn apple harvest to stew and also make apple strudel, our favourite apple dessert. It takes more time than crumble but is worth the extra effort if you have the time. With any recipe, faster and easier with each repeat.







Makes about 12 servings:

First of all, cover one end of your kitchen table with a cloth and dust lightly with flour. If you have a 3 foot square table, that is ideal. I found the one I have which is longer, worked fine with me just using half of it (3 feet).

Ingredients:

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and set aside

6oz/200g/1 1/2 cups, plain flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg
5 1/3 tablespoons/1/3 cup, water, room-temperature
1 teaspoon cider vinegar

Sift the flour and salt together into a large bowl; mix the egg, water, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of the melted butter, in a separate bowl; add the liquids all at once to the flour and salt and mix thoroughly. Knead the dough for 10 minutes on a lightly floured surface. Cover lightly with some of the melted butter and cover and leave at room temperature for 45 minutes. While dough is setting, proceed to the next step.

Peel, core and slice enough apples to make 6 cups. Set aside

3/4 cup coarsely torn fresh breadcrumbs, toasted in a 180C/350F oven for 5 minutes

6 oz/150g/1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
1/3 cup currants or raisins
grated zest of one lemon
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

In a large size bowl, mix together one-half the toasted breadcrumbs, sugar, walnuts, currants/raisins, lemon zest, and cinnamon; add the sliced apples and thoroughly blend together.

Increase oven temperature to 200C/400F.

Roll the dough as thinly as possible on a floured surface before transferring it to the floured cloth on the table. Stretch the dough with hands underneath, palms down. Work around going along the sides of the table until the dough is stretched into about a 30 inch square. Butter lightly with some of the melted butter. Place the remaining breadcrumbs on one side of the stretched square; cover with the sliced apple mixture over the crumbs up to about 3 inches from the edge of the dough. Then, with hands, under the cloth, roll the from the apple end over onto dough and keep rolling until the strudel is at the end of the dough. Place onto a lightly buttered baking sheet, curving into a crescent. Lightly butter the top; place into the oven for 20 minutes. Bring the strudel out and lightly butter again and then replace (rotating the tray) for 25 minutes more.

Remove the strudel on the baking sheet and place on a wire rack to cool. Dust lightly with confectioner's sugar (icing sugar). Place on a platter and cut diagonally with a serrated knife. Serve with cream or ice cream.