In collaboration with Brixton Windmill and using their organic wholemeal flour
Strudel is a traditional layered pastry that originated in Austria (or around that area) some time ago during the 18th century (but someone says even earlier than that). The filling is usually sweet and made up of apples, raisins, cinnamon and sugar as the basic ingredients.
Then there are the usual variations with walnuts, pine nuts, more cinnamon, less cinnamon, lemon, no lemon, orange, tangerine is better, and so on. It’s a classic family secret recipe, after all.
Oh, and the strudel pastry is…a strudel pastry, a specific pastry used for strudel only. Or at least invented for that, so no phyllo or puff pastry. All of it makes it quite a special dessert.
Despite its Austrian origin, strudel is quite a traditional pastry in Italy, and particularly in Northern Italy, and particularly during Christmas time given the typical Christmas-sy flavours. I mean, it’s so famous that it has also been awarded some sort of protected status in the region of Trentino Alto-Adige. I told you it was a special dessert.
As for the Veneto region, Venice (where I was born) came under the Austrian Empire at the end of the 18th century, so it makes sense that strudel is something that you would commonly find in all pastry shops and tables, particularly (again!) when it’s time for big family celebrations during the winter season.
So, as this year I have been feeling very nostalgic for many reasons, I decided to create my version of a strudel (whilst running 34,549 tests to achieve the perfect panettone dough.
My Christmas apple strudel is inspired – of course! – by an old recipe from mum and some famous British holiday season sweet treats – mince pies, with the addition of a flour twist. All to capture the festive spirit of the holiday season and celebrate my two home countries.
The pastry is a mix of plain and wholewheat flour, which adds nutty notes, firmer texture and rich and brown colour to the pastry. The filling combines a luxury and buttery homemade mincemeat, which uses all of the traditional apple strudel ingredients (plus a few more), more fresh apples and an extra sprinkle of cinnamon. Then, a lot of icing sugar on top. Simple, but seriously good stuff.
To be eaten at any time of the day. Cup of coffee is a perfect match. Oh, and some vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream or custard. Happiness.
Merry (almost) Christmas.
If you are an apple lover, check out my Apple and peanut financier traybake. or my Apple curd tart if you are looking to impress your guests!
Makes 1 large strudel (10 to 12 slices)
Ingredients
FOR THE STRUDEL PASTRY
- 190g strong bread flour
- 120g wholewheat flour, largest brans sifted out (net weight) – I used Brixton Windmill organic wholewheat flour
- 160ml cold water
- 35ml vegetable oil (sunflower or rapeseed)
- 5ml white wine vinegar
- 2g salt
FOR THE STRUDEL MINCEMEAT
- 400g raisins, soaked in water for 1hr
- 250g diced apples, peeled and cored (net weight)
- 175g light muscovado sugar
- 40g pine nuts
- 1tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 50ml orange juice
- Zest of 2 oranges
- 50ml lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1.5g salt
- 100g grated unsalted butter
FOR THE FILLING
- 100g fine breadcrumbs
- 75g butter
- 500g diced apples, peeled and cored (net weight)
- 1tsp cinnamon
Method
TO MAKE THE STRUDEL MINCEMEAT (overnight)
- Combine all the ingredients (except for the butter) in a large bowl and mix until they are well coated. Cover with cling film and leave to soak in the fridge overnight.
- The next day, transfer the mix into a pan and heat over a medium heat. Scatter the grated butter all over and cook for approx. 45 mins until sticky and no more liquid is being released. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool down.
TO MAKE THE STRUDEL PASTRY
- Sift the flours in a small bowl. Put the remaining ingredients into another bowl and add half of the flours. Mix until you get a batter consistency, then mix in the remaining flour to form a soft dough. Transfer to a work surface and knead for 5 mins until smooth. If sticky, add a little more flour. Put the dough into a bowl, cover and leave to rest for at least 1 hr.
TO MAKE THE FILLING
- Melt 50g of butter in a medium saucepan, add the breadcrumbs and toast them to a golden light colour (keep stirring to prevent them from burning). Set aside to cool down. Dice the apples and heat the oven to 190˚C conventional mode.
TO ASSEMBLE THE STRUDEL
- Lay a large tea towel (not sponge-like) on the work surface and flour it. Transfer the pastry onto the towel and roll it out to a rectangle about 35 x 55 cm using a floured rolling pin. Melt the remaining butter and brush the pastry with ¾ of it, leaving a 5cm border all around. Scatter the buttery crumbs over the buttered area, followed by the diced apples, some more cinnamon and the mincemeat.
- Using the tea towel, lift and fold the short sides of the pastry over the sides of the filling. Then lift one of the long sides over the filling and use the towel to roll it slowly and form a neat roll. End with the seam side down. Transfer to a large baking tray covered with baking parchment and carefully remove the towel.
- Brush the strudel with the remaining butter and bake for 40 minutes, turning the tray around after half an hour. Take out and leave to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar, slice and enjoy warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or custard.