How To Make The Perfect Streudel
Craving for a dainty dessert? Then try this delicious yet exotic recipe at home and indulge in the goodness of classic Strudel. You can have strudel with coffee, tea or champagne. Once you understand the process of making a perfect Strudel and achieve the balance of soft filling and flaky exterior, you can also experiment with the savoury versions of this delicacy. You can decide what kind of stuffing you want according to your taste. Here's a beginner's guide to making the perfect Streudel.
1.Introduction
Strudel is a golden brown crusty pastry usually stuffed with a sweet filling. It originated from Austrian cuisine but has now become a prominent part of the central European cuisine. It is normally served with whipped cream.
2.History
Traditionally, the dough of the strudel is kneaded until it becomes highly elastic. It is said that a purist cook working for the Austrian emperor ordered that the dough should be so thin and stretchy that one should be able to read a love letter through it!
3.Ingredients
2 puff pastry sheet
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1 cup brown sugar
4 apple
1 cup raisins
4.Prepare Apples
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and line a baking dish with parchment paper and baking sheet. For the filling, wash the apples and pat dry them. Next, peel and shred one apple in a bowl.
5.Mix Filling
Slice the remaining apples in another bowl. Take a large mixing bowl and add sliced and shredded apples in it along with raisins and brown sugar. Toss well and set aside.
6.Fill and Seal Pastry
Put the puff pastry on baking sheet and spread the apple filling in the middle of the pastry sheet along the length. Fold it lengthwise around the filling and press the edges to seal. This works better with slightly wet fingers.
7.Brush and Bake
Make an egg wash by mixing the milk and egg. Brush the top of the pastry with this mixture. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the colour turns to a nice golden brown.
8.Storage and Serving Tips
You can store the Strudel at room temperature for 2 days and refrigerator for 2-3 days. Keep it covered with plastic or foil wrap all the while it is not being consumed for prolonged freshness. Serve it with a scoop of ice cream and dried raisins to accentuate the taste.