Go straight to the source if you want to make authentic apple strudel using this recipe from the Austrian National Tourist Board to give the best results.

Thank goodness the days when a woman’s worth as a marriage partner in Austria was judged by her ability to make strudel pastry without a hole are over or there would be lots of unmarried travel writers.

How do I know this?  Take a group of travel writers, a large lump of pastry and a rolling pin and it’s not hard to work out who would be left on the shelf.

When the Austrian National Tourist Office came to town with a pop-up apple strudel making class, it was fortunate that there were excellent tips from a master Apple strudel maker.  The end result was a delicious dessert and well worth trying.

Best tips for authentic Apfelstrudel (apple strudel Austrian style)

 

  • The dough is simple, but the secret is in the resting.
  • You can roll it out with the rolling pin but also stretch the dough.
  • Remove your rings if you don’t want holes in the dough.
  • Pull the dough until it is nice and thin and can almost see through the pastry.
  • Cut off the thick edges.
  • Sprinkle with breadcrumbs, so the apples don’t soak through the dough too quickly.
  • Spread with apples and raisins.
  • Fold sides in and use the tablecloth to roll up. Brush with butter and put in the oven for an hour to caramelise the apple at about 180 degrees
  • The pastry will be cooked after half an hour if you are desperate.

 

Apfelstrudel (Apple strudel)

 

Ingredients:

¼ kg (8.8 oz./2 cups) very fine flour

1 teaspoon salt

1‐2 tablespoons oil

About 1/8 litre (½ cup) lukewarm water

100 g (3.5 oz./ ¾ cup) dry bread crumbs

125 g (4.4 oz. / 5/8 cup) butter

1 ½ ‐ 2 kg (3 ½ ‐ 4 ½ lbs.) apples

Sugar and cinnamon

Ground cloves

Walnuts and raisins

 

Method

  1. For the Strudel dough, mix together flour, salt, oil and enough lukewarm water to make a soft dough. Knead very well until it becomes silky and smooth.
  2. Form the dough into a loaf, cover and allow to rest for about 30 minutes. Roll out the dough on a table covered with a floured cloth. Place your hands under the dough and, using your thumbs and the back of your hand, gently begin pulling and stretching the dough until wafer‐thin. Trim away the thick edges.
  3. Brown the bread crumbs in some of the butter until golden brown. Brush the strudel dough with melted butter and spread the bread crumbs over it.
  4. Peel and core the apples, cut into thin slices (a cucumber slicer may be used) or grate coarsely.
  5. Season with sugar, cinnamon and a pinch of ground cloves and spread on top of the bread crumbs. If you like, scatter a few raisins and/or coarsely grated walnuts on top.
  6. Using the cloth to help lift the dough, roll up the strudel from the sides as you would a jelly roll. Place it seam-side down on a baking tray, brush generously with butter and bake at 180°C (350° F) until golden brown.

Rather taste this Austrian delight in Vienna?  Here is where to find out more about Vienna.

Vienna is a beautiful city to visit, especially for food lovers. Here are my top tips for coffee and cake in Vienna and my favourite Viennese artist Gustav Klimt.

Disclaimer: Ed+bK was a guest of Vienna Tourist Board and The Austrian National Tourist Office at the cooking class.