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| Apple
strudel, first created by Viennese bakers, is a classic Fall dessert--layers
of wafer-thin pastry rolled around a sweet filling of tender apples. |
STRUDEL (pronounced STROOD-l;
SHTROO-duhl)
Strudel is a type of pastry made up of many layers of very thin dough spread
with a filling, then rolled and baked until crisp and golden brown.
Strudel simply means "vortex" in
German, it is NOT the name of the dough. It simply refers to the method of
rolling the dough around the filling.
Apple strudel is probably the most famous of this genre,
but the filling variations are limitless and can be savory or sweet. This
is a form of pastry which is very popular in Greece, Austria, Germany and
central Europe.
 I
learned how to make and stretch strudel dough in a class; it's a different
experience to work with paper thin dough. It also takes a small team of two
or three to successfully do it. |
For traditional strudel, delicate, soft pastry dough is
hand-stretched until it’s thin enough to read a newspaper through. It is
covered with a variety of fillings (e.g. apple,
black cherries, nuts, poppy seeds, cheese and vegetables) and rolled like a
Swiss roll. At its best, very thin strudel dough is flaky,
but also firm to the bite. It's very different from
puff pastry.
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The
tricky part is when you stretch the strudel -- you don't want to puncture it
when it becomes paper thin. Remove all hand and wrist jewelry and
turn rings stone side into palm when stretching. Use the back of fingers and
hands to stretch it. And be sure to place the stretched dough over a dry
towel on the table so that you can roll it up easily. |
Traditional strudel dough
uses high-gluten flour which is high in starch content and when mixed with
water, can be stretched paper-thin over a large, flour-dusted table without
tearing. For ease of rolling, work at a round table, which
allows you to move freely around all sides of the dough. You can use a bedsheet
as a pastry cloth.
 Question:
When I make
strudel, it always seems to pop-open. How can I prevent this?
DujourAnswer:
- When you’re finished stretching the dough, it should be
approximately 40 by 30 inches.
- Brush the dough with melted butter. Sprinkle dough with
half the crumb mixture. Lay apple filling on long side of dough in a row
about 4 inches wide. Leave a couple of inches between the apples and the
edges of the dough. Sprinkle apples with the sugar mixture and raisins.
Top with the rest of the ladyfinger mixture.
- Use the tablecloth to help roll strudel away from you.
Tuck the first turn in tightly. Roll tightly to maintain shape. Tuck in
the side edges of dough as you go. With the seam on the bottom, transfer
strudel to a buttered or parchment lined baking sheet. Brush with a little
more melted butter and sprinkle with a little more sugar if desired. Make
several incisions at regular intervals on top of pastry for steam to
escape (very important!).
from foodtv.com
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Strudel dough is different from
most other doughs because you encourage the development of gluten, which causes
elasticity -- in most pastries, you try to minimize gluten to keep them tender
and light. But this dough gets its magical texture from its elasticity and
thinness.
But stretching strudel dough is a skill better left to pros.
It takes literally decades to
master the art of making it. Most accomplished professional pastry makers are
well over 70 years of age and learned the craft from their mothers and fathers.
Premade Phyllo dough
is a good substitute. Like strudel dough, it’s paper-thin and creates a flaky
crust. (Sometimes store bought Puff Pastry
is used instead).
Strudel keeps well in a tightly sealed tin or plastic box, and
can also be frozen.
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