Apple strudel (apfelstrudel) time!
If you live in Portland and haven’t gone to Hood River in the fall to check out the fruit loop, do you even live here? Obviously this year it wasn’t the same, but I promise you it’s worth going out there.
As you all know, autumn is my favourite time of year. Call me basic, but everything about autumn is my thing. Fall baking, scarves, boots, warm coats, finally not being made fun of for wrapping myself in a blanket all year long (I run cold, ok?)
What makes an autumn trip to Hood River so special? The fruit loop. It’s truly magical. You can drive from fruit stand to fruit stand (with a couple of necessary stops at wineries/cideries) and check out all of the beautiful fruit the town has to offer. You can find apples, pears, pumpkins, jams, apple butter, everything you could possibly want. Personally, I go for the apples and the cider.
The apples you guys. There are SO MANY. And really, unless you’re an apple aficionado, I can guarantee you’ve never heard of most of them. It’s such a fun way to support local business and try a wide variety of new apples and pears. I got so many. Some for baking, some for eating, and some with surprising pink flesh! I’m now apple obsessed.
Apple Strudel (apfelstrudel)
For this apple strudel, I used Glockenapfel apples from one of the fruit farms in Hood River. Glockenapfels are cooking apples, primarily used in a traditional apple strudel (apfelstrudel) in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and France. These are big apples, and kind of bell-shaped. If you can get your hands on them, use them to make this strudel. If not, other baking apples will work just fine.
Strudel is simple and only has a few ingredients. We’re using boxed phyllo pastry because let’s be real, I just don’t have time to make that myself. If you have the time (or inclination), go ahead and make your own! Along with the apples, we’re filling the strudel with sugar, cinnamon, brandy, raisins, walnuts, and some Panko breadcrumbs to help soak up the moisture.
You guys, this is SO GOOD. I like topping it with hot custard, but you can drizzle it with heavy cream, dust on powdered sugar, or eat it on its own. There’s really no right or wrong answer!
Apple Strudel (Apfelstrudel)
Ingredients
- 1 box phyllo dough, thawed
- 2-3 large apples, peeled, cored and sliced
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 2-3 tbsp. brandy
- 1/4-1/2 cup of raisins, depending on your preference
- 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
- 1 cup (2 sticks) melted butter
- 1/2-3/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs (more or less depending on how wet your filling is)
Directions
- Step 1 Put the apples, sugar, cinnamon, salt, brandy, and raisins in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes, until the apples are soft and most of the liquid has dissolved. Stir in the chopped walnuts and set aside.
- Step 2 Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Step 3 Have your melted butter and a brush ready for working with the phyllo.
- Step 4 With the long side facing you, place 1 sheet of the phyllo on a clean work surface. Brush the sheet with the melted butter and repeat this process with another 7-8 sheets, layering one sheet on top of the other (this will depend on how many sheets are in your box, you want to use 1/2 of the sheets for each strudel).
- Step 5 Put half of the Panko on the dough in a 3×10 rectangle leaving two inches on each side of the filling and two inches from the bottom of the dough. Top with half of the apple mixture. Fold the short sides of the dough over the filling, then fold over the bottom of the dough and roll up as if you’re making a Swiss roll.
- Step 6 Put the strudel seam-side down on the baking sheet and repeat the process with the rest of the phyllo and filling.
- Step 7 Brush the top of each strudel with melted butter and cut 4 diagonal slits in the dough so it can vent while baking.
- Step 8 Bake for 30-40 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.
