Apple Strudel – the Sunday Classic

Every time I look out the window at our kitchen, I see all those ripe apples that have just fallen from the tree and are now lying on the ground and spoil. Uf, I just have to run, pick at least some and… bake or dry them, make apple sauce, whatever, just use those awesome apples!

Recently, I have some strong urge to cook and bake what I was used to either make myself or, better, get from my mum when I was younger – when I was living back in Czechia. It’s probably understandable, I haven’t seen my family for quite a while, I have been living abroad for four years already and on top of that, my birthday is coming – and I cannot believe that time is passing so quickly – though I still feel like a little kid, the number says something different…

Anyway, one of the most common cakes my mum would bake (for me) during late summer and then all the way through autumn, is apple strudel. I used to believe that strudel is an apple-filled puff pastry with history dating back to the 18th century when the Viennese Strudel became popular throughout the Habsburg Empire, but honestly, I do not want to get into trouble arguing about the true origing of a strudel – wheter it’s originally Jewish, Russian, or Austrian… I simply love the “roll” filled with apples, raisins and cinnamon – though that is just one of the all possible fills, as well as puff pastry is only one of a whole range of dough that can be used!

For my version of a strudel, I chose to make a spelt flour dough with a hint of cardamon and apple filling with raisins in rhum, cinnamon and roasted walnuts.

Once again, I use spelt flour in my recipe and i haven’t yet said a single word about why.

Well, spelt, though not a wheat, still botanically related to it and still a cereal grain. Therfore, I cannot say anything like “spelt is so much healthier option than wheat flour!”, but spelt flour is still slightly more nutritious than regular wheat flour, it’s GI is slightly lower, spelt flour contain a bit more of protein and its taste is, at least in my opinion, better than that of wheat. It has this nice, light and bit sweeter, nutty taste that goes great together with the recipes I use it for.

Morover, spelt flour can be used basically anywhere where the recipe calls for wheat flour – though I suggest starting easy, replacing little by little the wheat by spelt and learning how spelt reacts in different recipes. It’s gluten is, for example, weaker than that in wheat, therefore it is good to use a mixture of spelt and wheat in some recipes. Spelt also requires less amount of liquids, therefore is good to be careful and add liquids little by little and check the consistency along the way.

Anyway, what I want to say is this – why not use spelt if it is in many aspects better than wheat, eventhough those differences aren’t fundamental?

Apple Strudel – the Sunday Classic

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE DOUGH:

300g fine spelt flour (not bleached)

1 egg + 1 more for coating

120g softened unsalted butter

50g Sukrin (erythritol)

50ml water

1tsp apple vinegar

1 ts baking powder

1/2 tsp cardamom

pinch of salt

FOR THE FILLING:

6 apples (more or less according to the type of apples you use and how much filling you want to have. I like to fill the strudel quite a lot so that I get more of the filling taste than that of the dough.)

Desiccated coconut

Chopped walnuts

A handful of raisins

2 tbsp rhum

2 tbsp cinnamon

50g Sukrin (erythitol)

INSTRUCTIONS

Start with the dough. In a bowl of stand mixer with the paddle attachement combine the softened butter, egg, sweetener, flour, vinnegar, salt, cardamom, salt and like water. Mix at medium speed about 1 minute until a smooth and elastic dough forms.

Let the dough rest in the fridge while you prepare the filling.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine raisins and rum. Let sit for 30 minutes. Then discard the rum.

Prepare the filling:

Roast the coconut, set aside to cool down, then do the same with chopped walnuts.

Peel, core, and cut the apples into small pieces. Add cinnamon, sweetener, raisins, walnuts and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 180°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Assemble the strudel:

Roll the dough out on a floured surface until it is about a 45×30 cm big rectangle.

The shorter sides are on the left and on the right. On both these sides of the rectangle, leave 2cm space, then sprinkle the roasted coconut in the middle from left to righ (it will be a base which will help to soak excess water that will be released form the apples while baking) in a 10-12cm thick line.

Pile the apple filling on top of the coconut.

Fold the 2cm margin at the sides of the dough over onto the filling then roll up the strudel from one to the other longer side and slightly press the ends so that the strudel is nicely closed and the filling won’t escape.

Carefully transfer the strudel to the prepared baking sheet – i am used to place it seam side up. Brush with beaten egg.

Bake for about 50 minutes in the lower third of the oven, until lightly golden on top.

Ideally, let the strudel cool for 10 minutes then sprinkle with powdered Sukrin/ sugar and serve warm (with vanilla sauce, ice cream or apple sauce). But Apple Strudel is great even cold, second day or frozen and defrost when needed 😍