Try this Queenie's Strudel recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 135.189290111519 g
- Cholesterol 976.96 mg
- Fat 368.97589250032 g
- Fiber 4.43310000224665 g
- Protein 6.49889000214106 g
- Saturated Fat 233.47307450004 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (607g)
- Sodium 2626.68212500767 mg
- Sugar 130.756190109273 g
- Trans Fat 26.0749817502189 g
- Calories 3772 calories
Step-by-step
- In a glass container, place in the raisins, then pour in rum. Set aside to soak.
- Peel the apples, keeping the red skins as much in tact as possible. Set aside as you'll be using them for decorations.
- Slice the apples and mix together.
- Preheat oven to 190C or 375F.
- On a buttered or baking paper lined baking tray, place the filo pastry. I used about 10 sheets.
- Brush the butter onto the pastry.
- On the short side of the pastry, 2-3 inches in from the edge, place half of the apples.
- Scatter half the raisins, sprinkle with half the white sugar and half the cinnamon.
- Place the remaining apples, raisins, sugar and cinnamon on.
- Wrap the pastry closed and brush with butter to seal the pastry.
- Take six thin sheets of filo pastry, brush each with melted butter, and roll into a thin rope (longest edge).
- Braid three together, then do the other, and wrap around the pastry, brushing with butter ti finish.
- To make the apple roses, take a strip of apple peel.
- Roll the peel around itself, pinching the base, and keeping the inner core small and deeper, while the outer core becomes a bit higher as its rolled .
- To seal, I used a bit of pastry brushed with water, and pinched to the base.
- Press them into a line down the centre of the strudel.
- Bake for 30-45 minutes.
- Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Bakers frequently fail with paper-thin pastry by allowing it to dry out completely before assembly. Filo sheets contain very little moisture and react aggressively to ambient air, turning brittle within minutes. Keep unused sheets covered with a slightly damp kitchen towel while working sheet by sheet. Brushing every single layer with melted butter ensures proper adhesion and creates the necessary steam pockets for flakiness.
Achieving Structural Integrity
Combining tart Granny Smith apples with sweet Pink Lady varieties balances the filling's acidity and moisture levels. Soaking the raisins in rum for at least thirty minutes plumps the fruit and concentrates the flavor, but drain them thoroughly before adding to prevent excess liquid from dissolving the sugar and creating a soggy interior. Preheat the oven precisely to 190°C or 375F to ensure the butter vaporizes instantly inside the dough layers. Bake until the exterior turns uniformly golden brown and crisp, usually taking between 30 and 45 minutes.
- Dry pastry surfaces mean butter was applied too sparingly; brush every inch evenly.
- Unbaked strudels can rest in the refrigerator for up to two hours before baking if covered tightly.
- Dust the powdered sugar only after the pastry cools slightly to prevent it from melting immediately into a glaze.
