Strudel
A dessert which is strongly associated with the Austrian-Germanic tradition is strudel. The word strudel comes to us from Middle High German, from a word which means whirlpool or eddy. The English word is defined as a baked pastry comprised of layers of thin sheets of rolled-up dough containing layers of cheese or fruit. Making the dough for a traditional strudel is not a simple matter of tossing flour, fat and salt in a bowl, mixing and kneading. Rather after kneading the dough is rolled out into a layer so thin that a newspaper can be read through the finished product. If unable to prepare your own strudel dough frozen phyllo dough can be used.
There are other recipes which will skip using the ultra-thin dough and instead use a different manner to prepare the dough. While it may not meet the strict criteria of a traditional strudel, the finished product is oh-so-good. Here’s a recipe for an Amish Apple Strudel sure to please any dessert lover:
8 medium sized tart apples
¼ c. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ c. (1/2 stick) of butter
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 c. flour
½ tsp. salt
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 ° F. Peel, core and slice apples. Arrange the apples onto the bottom of a greased 9 by 13 inch baking dish. In a small bowl, mix the ¼ c. sugar with the 1 tsp. cinnamon. Sprinkle this mix on top of the apples. Dot the top of the apples/sugar with small pieces of butter. Sift the 1 c. sugar, baking powder, flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Using a fork, form a well in the center of the flour/sugar mixture and add the egg and the vanilla extract. Blend this together. Pour over the apples and bake for 55 minutes or until browned. This can be served while still warm. Whipped cream, custard and vanilla ice cream are great with this dessert.
Mock strudel is loaded with fruit, nuts and jam. The dough is a flaky delight. The following recipe yields about 24 slices-perfect for large gatherings.
Dough:
½ c. (1 stick) butter
½ c. sour cream
1 ¼ c. all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp. sugar
Use a medium-size, heavy saucepan to melt butter over low heat. Add the sour cream to the melted butter, stirring until cream and butter are warm and thoroughly combined. Remove from heat and add flour and sugar, making sure to thoroughly mix the ingredients. Pat the dough into a round ball and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate dough for four hours. The dough will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week.
To prepare strudel:
1 ½ c. golden raisins
1 c. regular raisins
½ c. dried cranberries
12 oz. fruit preserves (apricot, strawberry, raspberry)
¾ c. chopped walnuts
Ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 325 °F. Combine the dried fruits in a bowl and set aside. Divide the chilled dough into two equal pieces. Recover one piece with the plastic wrap and return to the refrigerator. Divide the left out dough into fist sized pieces and work each piece with your hands until uniform and smooth in texture. Then recombine all the pieces, turn out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a thin (less than 1/8 inch) rectangle about 12 by 9 inches.
Cover this dough with half the preserves leaving a ½ border along all sides. Sprinkle with ½ the dried fruit mix, ½ the walnuts, and a few shakes of cinnamon. Fold the shorter side so it just covers the filling, then roll up lengthwise like a jelly-roll. Transfer to a lightly greased baking pan placing the seam side down. Cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator. Remove second piece of dough and do the same as with the first. Place it on the pan with the first roll, leaving an inch or two of space between the rolls, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the baking sheet and allow to cool on wire racks. While it is still warm, cut into slices. Store slices in an airtight container in refrigerator.
