Strudel Dough Recipe

Origin: Austrian      Period: Traditional

This is based on a traditional recipe obtained from an Austrian friend almost twenty years ago. I've ammended the recips substantially over the years and now it can be made fairly easily in a food processor.

Ingredients:

500–550g bread flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
75ml vegetable oil (grapeseed oil works well, you can also use clarified butter)
2 medium eggs, beaten
1 tbsp melted butter
2 tbsp lemon juice
175ml warm milk
¼ cup fine breadcrumbs

Strudel Dough Preparation:

Method:

To make proper strudel you need a bread flour based dough which is allowed to rest and is then gently stretched until it is supple, elastic and thin.

If you're making this in a food processor then add the milk, lemon juice, eggs, salt, sugar, oil and butter to the mixer and pulse to combine. Slowly add the flour to the liquid ingredients and pulse until a smooth mass forms. Add more flour as required until you from a smooth, elastic and slack dough.

Remove this dough from the bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and allow to rest for at least an hour before using. (You can also cover in clingfilm and refrigerate for 1–2 days before using). Once the dough has rested you will need to finish and stretch the dough. First diveide the dough into three portions then gently roll on a floured board with a rolling pin to flatten. Leave to rest for five minutes then begin stretching the strudel. It's best to do this with your fists (make sure you're not wearing any jewellery that might tear the dough) and stretch from the center of the dough to the outside (as you would for a pizza). As you stretch, move your hands around the edges, lift and stretch each new section. Every now and then take a break (this is good both for you and for the dough) and cover the dough with a damp tea cloth. Use your fingertips to stretch dough when you can no longer use your fists (dough may be too large at some point to get at from sides into center). Always allow dough a chance to rest so that it will not resist your efforts. Once you get a rectangle of some 45 by 30 cm you can fill the strudel.

When you're ready to use the dough brush the surface generously with with melted butter. Sprinkle on bread crumbs to catch excess liquid. On edge closest to you, spread about six cups of filling. Using the table cloth to lever the dough up and start rolling strudel into a log. Do this until the loaf is about 8cm thick. Trim and gently lift up log onto prepared baking sheet. Brush top with melted butter. Make small air slits. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.

For the more adventurous cut strips along the two leading edges, put the filing into middle and plait the strips atop the filling. This is the more usual way of preparing strudel with fillings other than apple.

Bake at 190°C on a baking sheet until golden brown in colour (about 20 mins). Dust with icing sugar and cut diagonally into individual portions. Recipes for two classic fillings are given below:

Apple Cinnamon Filling

Apple is the classic filling, but you may also try pear and apple, or plum strudel. Makes enough filling for two strudels

Ingredients:

5-6 medium apples, peeled, cored and sliced thinly
1 tablespoon lemon juice
60g white sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
¼ teaspoon mixed spice (optional)
2 tablespoons flour
½ cup plumped, well drained raisins
1/3 cup very well drained, reconstituted dried red cherries (optional)

Preparation

Prepare apples and toss with lemon juice. Combine sugar, cinnamon, spices and flour. Toss with apples, raisins and cherries. Allow to cool before layering on the strudel dough (as above).

Plum and Red Wine Filling

Ingredients:

800g plums, stones removed and quartered
225ml red wine (merlot/pinot grigio)
100g sugar
6 tbsp unsalted butter
2 pinches cinnamon
1 pinch allspice

Preparation

Pour wine and sugar into a saucepan and bring just to a boil. Reduce heat and add the plums. Cook about 5 minutes and remove with a slotted spoon. Reserve the wine and allow to cool. Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a frying pan, add the spice and stir. Add the plums and fry briefly. Allow to cool.

Prepare the strudel dough as above, arrange the plums and complete the strudel. Whilst the strudel is baking, pour the reserved wine into a small saucepan and reduce until syrupy then whisk in the remaining butter. Serve the strudel with the sauce.

For a more decadent strudel cherries can be used instead of plums (or a cherry and plum mixture could be used.

Read: Recipe Articles and Reviews

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