- Preparing the Apple Filling
In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, and raisins. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes. In a small pan, toast the breadcrumbs in a tablespoon of butter until they are golden and smell like roasted nuts. These breadcrumbs are essential because they absorb the juices from the apples during baking, preventing the pastry from becoming soggy.
- Stretching and Layering
Lay a large, clean linen cloth on a table and dust it with flour. Place the dough in the center and carefully stretch it by hand from the center outwards until it is paper-thin and rectangular. Brush the entire surface with melted butter and sprinkle the toasted breadcrumbs over two-thirds of the dough. Spread the apple mixture over the breadcrumbs.
- Rolling and Baking
Using the cloth to help you, roll the pastry into a tight log, starting from the side with the filling. Tuck in the ends. Transfer the strudel to a baking sheet and brush the top generously with the remaining melted butter. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 35-40 minutes until it is crisp and golden brown. Let it cool slightly before slicing with a serrated knife to keep the flaky layers intact.
The Apple Strudel is the national dish of Austria and a symbol of the Austro-Hungarian Empire’s culinary heritage. It reached the height of its fame in 18th-century Vienna, influenced by the paper-thin pastry traditions of the Ottoman Empire (similar to baklava). Culturally, a “true” strudel is defined by its dough; the dough must be stretched so thin by hand that you can supposedly read a newspaper through it. It is filled with a mixture of tart apples, cinnamon, sugar, raisins, and buttery toasted breadcrumbs, then rolled into a long log and baked until golden and flaky. It is traditionally served warm with a dusting of powdered sugar or a side of vanilla sauce.
