Guten tag! For many Americans, the country of Austria is synonymous with the Hollywood creation of the “Sound of Music”. While the movie is one of our favorite things, it’s definitely NOT one of Austria’s. In general, Austrians have a love/hate relationship with this American movie. For them, it’s sort of cheesy and historically inaccurate. However, the country has started to embrace it. After all, the city of Salzburg is a money-making tourist attraction. But, Austria has so much more to offer. I’m referring to the Austrian Apple Strudel (Apfelstrudel). It reminds me of a cross between an American apple pie, Greek baklava, and an Italian calzone all wrapped up in one.
A Little Apple Strudel (Apfelstrudel) History
Apfelstrudel is centuries old dating back to ancient Mesopotamia. It started out as thin dough layers served with honey and nuts. Then, on to Turkey and Greece where baklava was popularized. Eventually, the silk trade route likely introduced such confections to Eastern-European countries. Thus, leading to Hungary. While many think the apple strudel is a German dessert, it’s actually Austrian. By the time it made its way to Vienna, Austria in the late 17th century, the sweet treat became known as “strudel”. Since Austria is a German-speaking country, “strudel” is German for “whirlpool” or “swirl”. What a great description of what you see on the inside of an apple strudel.
Why Did I Choose Apple Strudel for my World Bake?
Given the time of year with apples in abundance, so many people are baking pies. Most people have an apple pie recipe (I don’t, though). Since I’m baking the world, another apple pie didn’t sound appealing to me. Then… light bulb! I’ve always wanted to bake a strudel. Ah, ha! After combing through lots of apple strudel recipes, I knew I wanted something a little different to highlight the season. That’s when the idea of an autumn twist popped up in my half-baked brain. After which, I became really excited to figure out how to do that. With that, I knew I wanted to maintain an authentic strudel dough but run with the rest while staying within the confines of a traditional apple strudel. And here it is!
My Austrian Apple Strudel with an Autumn Twist Recipe
I’m really happy to share with you my Austrian Apple Strudel with an Autumn Twist recipe. It’s a traditional rolled and stretched Austrian strudel pie dough encrusting tart apples, rum-soaked dried cranberries, fresh orange juice, ground cinnamon, granulated sugar, chopped slivered almonds, and buttered breadcrumbs. Don’t forget the powdered sugar, ice cream, vanilla sauce, and whipped cream for the toppings. Now that’s a dessert worthy of the season.
Check out My Austrian Apple Strudel Process
Apple Strudel Ingredients
For the dough, you’ll need all-purpose flour, salt, water, and a neutral oil (I used avocado, but vegetable oil would be fine). The filling includes, dried cranberries, rum (or apple juice, orange juice, cranberry juice, or water for soaking the cranberries), 4 tart apples, fresh orange juice (from an orange),ground cinnamon, granulated sugar, slivered almonds, vanilla extract, butter, and breadcrumbs. For the topping, you’ll need an egg, a little water, and powdered sugar.
Step 1: Make the Strudel Dough
Mix Dry & Wet Ingredients:
In a medium bowl, sift 200 grams of flour (1½ cups + 4 tbsp). Add ¼ teaspoon salt and stir well to combine. Add ⅓ cup of warm water (heated to 100˚F-110˚F / 38˚C-43˚C), and ¼ cup of oil. Use a spoon to combine the ingredients. Move to mixing with your hands as the dough stiffens. Add a teaspoon of additional water at a time until the dough has come together without flour bits remaining.
Knead for 5 Minutes
Turn out the dough onto a work surface and knead for 5 minutes. Lightly flour your work surface if the dough sticks to it. You can use melted butter in place of the oil. Traditional Austrian Apple Strudel recipes use either/or. However, in my experience of using both, I can tell you the dough is much easier to manipulate and stretch thin if using oil. The butter firms up if your air temperature is cooler than room temperature thus making it more difficult to stretch. You could consider using butter in summer months and oil during winter months. 😉
Return the dough to the bowl. Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
TIP: A warm area might be necessary to keep the dough temperature at room-temperature warm. Remember, we need a “warm” dough for easier stretching.
Dough is knead and pliable Dough back in bowl, covered, & will rest 30 min.
In the meantime, preheat the oven to 375˚F (191˚C) and line a 17×12-inch baking sheet with parchment paper
TIP: Use the same parchment paper from rolling the dough after you’ve rolled it.
Step 2: Make the Apple Filling
Soak the Dried Cranberries
While the dough rests, in a small bowl, combine the ½ cup dried cranberries and 2 tablespoon rum (or other liquid). Traditionally, golden raisins are used so you could totally use raisins instead. Allow the cranberries (or raisins) to soak for 30 minutes.
TIP: If you don’t want to use or have rum, sub with a complimentary juice. Consider the ingredients. In this recipe, you could use apple juice, orange juice, cranberry juice, or water.
Wash, Peel, & Slice 4 Apples
While the cranberries soak, peel, core, and slice 4 medium-sized apples into thin strips. In a large bowl, add apples and pour in 1 tablespoon of fresh orange juice. Traditionally, lemon juice is used here.
TIP: Whether you use orange juice or lemon juice, the acid is added to prevent the apples from turning brown.
Add Other Ingredients
Stir in 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and ½ cup of granulated sugar. Drain the cranberries and add them to the apple mixture. Chop a ¼ cup of slivered almonds and add them to the mixture. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and stir everything well. Set the apple filling aside for now.
Step 3: Toast the Breadcrumbs
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a small skillet over low heat. Add 30 grams of breadcrumbs. I just used a slice of homemade regular white bread and pulverized it in a mini chopper. Toast the breadcrumbs until they are light brown. Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside.
TIP: If in a hurry, you don’t have to toast the breadcrumbs. You can simply just scatter untoasted breadcrumbs over the dough. However, I like the crunch and color of the bread in this recipe.
Step 4: Roll Out the Strudel Dough
Measure out and cut a large piece of parchment paper to a minimum of 18×12 inches. This could be the same sheet of parchment paper you use to line the baking tray. Lay it on a thin kitchen towel on the counter. Sprinkle flour over the parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough as thin as possible (always starting from the center).
The Way Austrian Homebakers Do It…
Traditionally, Austrian homebakers roll the dough directly on a floured, very large kitchen towel or tablecloth until the dough stretches over the table edges. My recipe only makes one strudel (instead of the usual 2-3), so I don’t need that much space. However, if you double or triple this recipe, you’ll need a dinner table on which to roll and stretch the dough. 😉
How Big Should It Be?
Roll out the single strudel dough to a minimum 18×12-inch rectangle. Then, use your hands (fists, more specifically) to stretch the dough to an extended length; think of stretching pizza dough. The dough should be paper thin, so thin you can read a letter through it. In fact, in old Austrian apple strudel recipes the directions say to stretch the dough thin enough to read a love letter through the dough. If you can’t read anything, keep stretching. Don’t worry if there are a couple of tears in the dough. Once it’s rolled, the holes will be covered.
Brush 2 tbsp of melted butter over the rolled-out dough.
Step 5: Add the Filling & Fold
Add the Apple Strudel Filling
On one short side of the rectangle, leave a 6-inch margin. Then, just inside of the margin, sprinkle breadcrumbs from top to bottom over the dough about 6 inches wide. Leave a 2-inch border at both long edges to allow for folding over the dough. The breadcrumbs are needed to help soak up any additional liquid from the apple mixture.
Pour the apple filling in a strainer over a bowl (or sink) and allow it to drain a few moments. Then, spoon the apple filling over the breadcrumbs in the same 6-inch-wide strip.
Fold Over Edges & Roll Up Apple Strudel Dough
Fold the 2-inch margin at both long edges of the dough over onto the filling and all the way down both edges like folding a soft taco. Folding the edges ensures a tight, well-contained roll so little to no filling seeps out. Then, use the parchment paper to help roll up the strudel from the short side with the filling (rolling like a cinnamon or jelly roll). Keep the long edges folded in as you roll to the other short end.
TIP: Notice how thin the dough is over the filling. You can see the cranberries and apples through it. It should be VERY thin! This dough is resilient, you will likely NOT tear it as long as you stretch it slowly.
Fold up long edges over the filling Fold over the 6-inch short side to cover the filling Use parchment to roll Roll to other short side end
Move the strudel seam-side down to the center of the parchment paper and transfer both the strudel and parchment paper to the baking sheet. In a small bowl, use a fork to beat the egg and water together. Brush the egg mixture over the strudel dough.
TIP: The egg mixture creates a crusty exterior and provides a well-baked caramelized color to the dough.
Move strudel to center Transfer to cookies sheet Brush with egg wash
Step 6: Bake & Serve
Bake the strudel in the preheated oven for 50 minutes to an hour or until golden brown.
Once the strudel is baked, let the strudel cool for 10 minutes. After cooling slightly, dust the top with powdered sugar (and maybe a little cinnamon for color). 😊
Strudel is baked! Notice golden brown all around Dust on powdered sugar 1st look inside
Apple Strudel Close-Up
Can you spot the apples, cranberries, almonds, breadcrumbs, and dots of cinnamon? Don’t forget to check out the layers of dough and beautiful powdered sugar.
How to Serve Your Apple Strudel…
Apfelstrudel is best served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or cold (or at room temperature) with vanilla sauce and a dollop of whipped cream. And why not a dusting of cinnamon over the top for good measure. 😊
Apple Strudel Final Thoughts
This is a nice, different take on an apple pie. For your family gatherings this holiday season, consider this apple pie variation. There’s a minor difference in the ingredients but overall pretty typical of an apple pie. What makes it unique is certainly its presentation, an oblong encrustation. Your guests will be happy to have traditional flavors in a unique way. The presentation is nice and worthy of a holiday table.
Baker’s Perspective
Mixing the apple filling wasn’t really anything unique. After all, apple fillings are all over the world. However, making the strudel dough was quite the experience. I enjoyed creating and playing with the dough to get the right thickness typical of an Austrian strudel dough. I love the description of stretching it thin enough to read a love letter. 💗
If you are interested in making this recipe but aren’t enthused about making the dough, sub with phyllo dough. You can use multiple sheets of buttered phyllo dough and roll the sheets around the filling as described. Foregoing the step of making the dough would save you lots of time. However, come on! Give the dough a try… it’s quite the experience and a workout! 😊
Taster’s Perspective
Scott describes this dessert best as an Austrian variation of an American apple pie. It really is a cross between the Greek baklava (thin pastry), American apple pie (filling), and the Italian calzone (crust that encircles the filling). He liked the thin, flaky crust. Although, I didn’t serve it, he would have preferred a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Oh, well… suggestion for you!
For details on making this dessert, see my YouTube video “Austrian Apple Strudel (Apfelstrudel) w/an Autumn Twist: Baklava Meets Apple Pie Meets Calzone!”
Austrian Apple Strudel (Apfelstrudel) with an Autumn Twist
Ingredients
Strudel Dough
- ¼ cup oil
- ⅓ cup water heated to 100˚F-110˚F (38˚C-43˚C)
- 200 grams (1½ cups+4 tbsp) all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp salt
Apple Filling
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- 2 tbsp rum or apple juice orange juice, cranberry juice, or water
- 4 medium tart apples firm, crisp apples like Granny Smith
- 1 tbsp orange juice freshly squeezed
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup slivered or sliced almonds, finely chopped
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp butter melted (for brushing over the dough)
Toasted Buttered Breadcrumbs
- 1-2 tbsp butter
- 30 grams breadcrumbs
Topping
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp water
- ¼-½ cup powdered sugar for final dusting
Instructions
Step 1: Make the Strudel Dough
- In a medium bowl, sift in flour using a sifter. Add salt and combine. Pour in warm water (heated to 100˚F-110˚F / 38˚C-43˚C), and oil. Use a spoon to combine the ingredients. Use your hands as the dough stiffens and add a teaspoon of additional water at a time until the dough has come together without flour bits remaining in the bowl. Turn out the dough onto a work surface and knead for 5 minutes. You may or may not need flour for kneading.
- Return the dough to the bowl. Cover the bowl with a towel or plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. TIP: A warm area is good to keep the dough temperature warm particularly if your environment is cooler than room temperature.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (191˚C) and line a 17×12-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.TIP: Use the same parchment paper from rolling the dough after you’ve rolled it.
Step 2: Make the Apple Filling
- While the dough rests, in a small bowl, combine the dried cranberries and rum (or other liquid). Allow the cranberries to soak for 30 minutes. Then, discard the rum (or other liquid) using a strainer.
- While the cranberries soak, peel, core, and slice the apples into thin strips (like large thick matchsticks). In a large bowl, add apples and pour in orange juice. Stir in cinnamon and sugar. Drain the soaked cranberries and add them to the mixture. Add chopped slivered almonds and vanilla extract. Stir well and set aside.
Step 3: Toast Buttered Breadcrumbs
- Melt the butter in a small skillet over low heat. Add the breadcrumbs and toast until lightly brown. Remove pan from heat and set aside.TIP: If you're in a hurry, you can forego toasting the breadcrumbs and just add them directly to the dough.
Step 4: Roll Out Strudel Dough
- Measure out and cut a large piece of parchment paper to a minimum of 18×12 inches. (This could be the same paper you use to line the baking tray). Lay parchment paper on a thin kitchen towel on the counter. Sprinkle flour over the parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough as thin as possible (always starting from the center). Roll out the dough to at least 18×12-inch rectangle. Then, use your hands (fists, more specifically) and stretch the dough to desired length; think of stretching pizza dough. The dough should be paper thin, so thin you can read a letter through it. If not, keep stretching. Don’t worry if there are a couple of tears in the dough. Once it’s rolled, the holes will be covered.
- Brush 2 tbsp of melted butter over the rolled-out dough from side to side, end to end.
Step 5: Add the Filling & Fold
- On one short side of the rectangle, leave a 6-inch margin. Then just inside of the margin, sprinkle breadcrumbs from top to bottom over the dough about 6 inches wide. Leave a 2-inch border at both the top and bottom edges to allow for folding over the dough.
- Pour the apple filling into a strainer over a bowl (or sink) and allow it to drain a few moments. Then, spoon the apple filling over the breadcrumbs in the same 6-inch-wide strip.
- Fold the 2-inch margin at the long edges of the dough over onto the filling and all the way down both edges like folding a soft taco. Then, use the parchment paper to help roll up the strudel from the short side with the filling (rolling like a cinnamon or jelly roll). Keep the long edges folded in as you roll to the end.
- Move the strudel seam side down to the center of the parchment paper and transfer both the strudel and parchment paper to the baking sheet. In a small bowl, use a fork to beat the egg and water together. Brush the egg mixture over the strudel dough.
Step 6: Bake & Serve
- Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes-1 hour or until golden brown.
- Let the strudel cool for 10 minutes. Then dust the top with powdered sugar (and maybe a little cinnamon). Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or cold (or at room temperature) with vanilla sauce and a dollop of whipped cream.
Video
Notes
Check out some of my other sweet treat recipes.
Eastern European Babka with Sweet Potato Swirls & Streusel Topping
Latin American Tres Leches Cake
New Zealand Kiwi Quick Bread (Gluten-Free Version, too)
Australian & New Zealand Pavlova
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