Ingredients
- For the Apple Filling:
- Apples: 4 medium (about 2 pounds or 900g) firm, tart apples (such as Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, or Fuji), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced (about ¼-inch thick)
- Granulated Sugar: ½ cup (100g), adjust to apple sweetness
- Brown Sugar: ¼ cup (50g), packed (light or dark)
- All-Purpose Flour: 2 tablespoons (to thicken juices)
- Ground Cinnamon: 1 ½ teaspoons (or more, to taste)
- Ground Nutmeg: ¼ teaspoon (optional, but recommended)
- Lemon Juice: 1 tablespoon, freshly squeezed (to prevent browning and add brightness)
- Unsalted Butter: 2 tablespoons, cut into small pieces
- Raisins or Dried Cranberries: ½ cup (75g) (optional, soak in hot water for 10 minutes and drain if desired)
- Chopped Walnuts or Pecans: ½ cup (60g) (optional, toasted for extra flavor)
- Fine Breadcrumbs: 2-3 tablespoons (optional, helps absorb excess moisture from apples)
- For the Pastry and Assembly:
- Puff Pastry: 1 package (usually around 14-17 ounces or 400-500g) all-butter puff pastry, thawed according to package directions (preferably 2 sheets)
- Egg Wash: 1 large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon of water or milk
- Coarse Sugar (Turbinado or Demerara): 1-2 tablespoons, for sprinkling (optional, for extra crunch and sparkle)
- For the Optional Glaze:
- Powdered Sugar: ½ cup (60g)
- Milk or Cream: 1-2 tablespoons, or lemon juice for a tarter glaze
- Vanilla Extract: ¼ teaspoon (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Apples: Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples. Place them in a large bowl. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, all-purpose flour, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg (if using), and lemon juice. Toss gently to combine thoroughly, ensuring all apple slices are coated. If using, stir in the optional raisins/cranberries and chopped nuts. Let the mixture sit for about 15-20 minutes to allow the apples to release some of their juices and for the flavors to meld. After resting, if there’s a lot of liquid, you can drain some of it off, or rely on the breadcrumbs (if using) to absorb it.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll Out Puff Pastry: Lightly flour your work surface. Gently unroll one sheet of puff pastry. If it’s very thick, you can roll it slightly thinner to about 10×14 inches, but many store-bought sheets are ready to use. Place it on the prepared baking sheet. If using two smaller strudels, you’ll work with one sheet at a time. If making one larger strudel, you might use one sheet as the base and the other for a lattice top or full top. For these “slices,” we’ll typically make two long strudels.
- Assemble the Strudel:
- If using breadcrumbs, sprinkle half of them down the center third of the puff pastry sheet, leaving a 1-inch border on the short ends and wider borders on the long sides. This helps prevent a soggy bottom.
- Spoon half of the apple filling mixture evenly over the breadcrumbs (or directly onto the pastry if not using breadcrumbs) in a long mound down the center third. Dot the top of the apples with half of the small pieces of butter.
- Folding Method 1 (Simple Fold-Over): Fold one long side of the pastry over the filling. Brush the edge with egg wash. Fold the other long side over, overlapping the first. Press gently to seal. Tuck in the short ends and press to seal, or trim and crimp with a fork.
- Folding Method 2 (Braid/Lattice Look – more decorative): Imagine the pastry divided into three long sections. The middle section is where the filling goes. On the two outer sections, make diagonal cuts (about 1-inch apart) from the edge of the pastry towards the filling, angling slightly downwards. Start by folding the top and bottom flaps of pastry over the ends of the filling. Then, alternate folding the cut strips from each side over the filling, creating a braided look.
- Repeat (if making two strudels): If your puff pastry package contains two sheets, repeat step 4 with the second sheet of pastry and the remaining apple filling, breadcrumbs, and butter.
- Egg Wash and Score: Brush the entire top surface of the strudel(s) generously with the prepared egg wash. This will give it a beautiful golden-brown color and shine. Using a sharp knife, make several diagonal slits (vents) across the top of the strudel(s) to allow steam to escape during baking. This prevents the pastry from bursting. If desired, sprinkle with coarse sugar.
- Bake: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the pastry is deeply golden brown, puffed, and crisp, and you can see some apple juices bubbling through the vents. If the pastry starts to brown too quickly, you can loosely tent it with aluminum foil.
- Cool Slightly: Once baked, carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven. Let the strudel(s) cool on the baking sheet for at least 20-30 minutes before glazing and slicing. This allows the filling to set and prevents it from oozing out excessively.
- Prepare and Apply Glaze (Optional): While the strudel is cooling, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk/cream (or lemon juice), and vanilla extract (if using) in a small bowl until smooth. Adjust the consistency by adding more powdered sugar (to thicken) or more liquid (to thin). Once the strudel has cooled slightly but is still warm, drizzle the glaze over the top in a zigzag pattern or any design you like.
- Slice and Serve: Once the glaze has set a bit (if using) and the strudel is warm (not hot), use a serrated knife to carefully cut it into individual slices, about 1.5 to 2 inches wide.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: one normal portion
- Calories: 280-350