A Fragrant Slice of Apple Strudel

I have seen and eaten many variations of apple strudel, but this recipe is the one I love most, and that I would never ever cross off my “Ricettario“.

I actually didn’t like apple strudel until the day that my mother in law served this delicious looking dessert on the dinner table. I enjoyed it so much, I immediately asked for the recipe. It was inherited from her mom who was of Hungarian origin, yet the only change I made to the recipe was to use ready-made puff pastry instead of hand making it.

I do hope that you’ll give this recipe a try and that it will also find a page in your “Ricettario”!

Francesca

INGREDIENTS for 6-8 servings:

1 ready-made rectangular puff pastry sheet
6 small apples
50 g butter
1 cup (120 gr) of breadcrumbs
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup raisin
1/2 cup pine nuts

Heat butter in a pan. Once melted, add the breadcrumbs and, stirring all the while, toast them until lightly golden.

Soak the raisins in water for about 10-15 minutes and then drain thoroughly.

Roll the pastry sheet out on a baking paper to about 50 x 60 cm.

Cut the apples into small cubes and, in a bowl, mix them with the toasted breadcrumbs, the pine nuts and raisins.

Distribute this mixture over the puff pastry sheet, leaving 8 cm of upper border empty (see the picture below).
Mix the sugar with the cinnamon and then sprinkle over the mixture. Finish it off with some butter flakes.

Roll the strudel starting from the long edge (the lower filled side), using the baking paper as support. Tuck the ends in and roll seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Pierce the surface with a toothpick.

Preheat the oven to 180 °C and bake for about 40-45 minutes, until golden brown.

Let it cool at room temperature and then dust with icing sugar.