Autumn apple strudel . by Augarten mountain enjoyment hotel in Neustift:

The popular Austrian delicacy to bake – by mountain enjoyment hotel in Neustift.

The Austrian apple strudel is one of the domestic national dishes and it is impossible to imagine our cuisine without it! The secret behind it lies in the preparation of a perfect strudel dough and a juicy, fruity filling. Today we would like to share with you the recipe of our favorite apple strudel.

 

History of the apple strudel:

The apple strudel has an eventful and – as we find – exciting story to tell. He was even the guest of Empress Maria Theresa several times! But before we get too far ahead of ourselves … here’s a brief look into the life of this popular Austrian dessert:

Where is the origin of the strudel dough?

The strudel dough probably originated in Arabia and came to Vienna via Turkey & Hungary during the K&K period.

How was the apple strudel created?

Arrived in Vienna, the preparation of the strudel in combination with apples prevailed. The apple strudel recipe was then first mentioned in handwriting in an Austrian cookbook in 1696. This oldest known strudel recipe is still kept in the Vienna City Library and can be visited there.

In the 18th century, this then typical Viennese pastry was served at the court of Empress Maria Theresa. From there it started its triumphal procession throughout the Habsburg Empire.

Where is the apple strudel particularly popular?

The apple strudel is thus a typical pastry in the Habsburg successor states of Austria, southern Germany, northern Italy, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Slovenia. However, it now enjoys international popularity.

By whom the apple strudel was first created and how old it is, will probably remain an eternal secret. What is certain, however, is that the fruity and sour taste of this strudel delighted people then, as it does today. That is why we like to surprise the guests of mountain enjoyment hotel in Neustift with a freshly baked apple strudel.

 

Our favorite recipe:

For this reason, we would like to present you today our personal favorite recipe of an Austrian apple strudel. This was already prepared by grandma Schöpf always for our Stefan. We wish you a lot of fun while baking and enjoying!

 

What ingredients do I need?

Pulled strudel dough:

• 250 g wheat flour
• 125 g water
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 pinch salt

Filling:

• 7 tart apples
• 1 jar organic applesauce
• Raisins (quantity to taste)
• 2-3 tablespoons raw cane sugar
• 2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 dash rum
• 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs

 

How to prepare the apple strudel?

Preparation of the strudel dough:

• To prepare the dough, put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix with the dough hook (preferably in the kneading machine) until smooth.
• The dough will turn out best if you knead it again by hand.
• To do this, knead vigorously with the heel of your hand until it blisters.
• Finally, shape the dough into a ball and place it in a deep plate.
• Brush it with a little oil, cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 30 min.

You will need all this for the preparation of the filling:

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200 °C top and bottom heat, prepare the filling and toast the breadcrumbs:

• For the filling of the apple strudel, remove the core of the apples, coarsely slice 2/3 of the apples and cut 1/3 into pieces.
• Add raisins, applesauce, raw cane sugar, rum and cinnamon to apples in bowl and mix.
• The applesauce makes the filling nice and creamy.
• Small tip: Should you not have tart apples … no problem. Just add some freshly squeezed lemon juice. In this case, just use a little more breadcrumbs.
• Now put the breadcrumbs together with some sugar and cinnamon in a pan and toast them lightly until a pleasant roasted aroma develops.
• Make sure the crumbs don’t get too dark, though!

Fill and roll the apple strudel:

• After resting, sprinkle the dough well with flour. Place a cotton cloth on a work surface and flour well.
• Now roll out the strudel dough evenly and thinly with a rolling pin.
• With the back of your hand facing up, reach under the dough, lift it slightly, and carefully “pull” it out over the back of your hand (i.e., slowly pull the back of your hand from the center to the outside, alternating). “The strudel dough should be so wafer-thin at the end that grandpa can put his newspaper underneath and still read it. Just cut away the thick edges,” says Grandma Schöpf’s secret tip.
• Sprinkle the top third of the dough with breadcrumbs and spread the filling. Then fold the edges in at the sides. Now lift the top edge of the cotton cloth with both hands, fold the top edge over the filling, and continue to roll the strudel in while lifting the cloth.

Finally, bake the apple strudel:

• Gently place the strudel with the end of the dough facing down on a baking tray (lined with baking paper) and bake for approx. 35 min at 200 °C top and bottom heat.

“We from the Berg Genuss Hotel Neustift wish you good luck and lots of fun baking the best Tyrolean apple strudel!”

Helga Schöpf from AUGARTEN . Mountain Pleasure Hotel Neustift