Relax. This recipe sounds a lot harder than it is and wows every time. It’s a fun activity and is a show-stopper every time. If I were you, I’d use my ingredients and learn how to make it on YouTube.
INGREDIENTS
Dough (Make this first so the dough can rest while you prepare the filling)
2 ½ cups high gluten flour (baking flour)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup lukewarm water
2 tablespoons oil (olive or vegetable)
1 egg or 2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon lemon juice or vinegar (white, apple cider or fruit flavored)
Filling
8 tarte apples
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cinnamon
3 pinches kosher salt
1 cup finely ground nuts (optional)
½ cup butter
Preparing the Dough
The easy way: combine the ingredients in a food processor. Turn it off when the ingredients form a ball. Add a little more flour or water as needed.
The old fashioned way: combine the ingredients in a bowl. Knead the dough for 5 minutes.
Relaxing the Dough
Once your dough is prepared, pour a teaspoon of oil in a clean bowl. Turn the dough in the bowl so it is covered in oil. Spread the oil on the sides of the bowl. Cover the dough with plastic wrap, a clean dish towel or both. Some people heat up a pot, wipe it with oil and place the dough in the greased pot. Allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes to an hour.
Preparing the Filling
Cube, grate or slice the apples into very thin pieces. Squeeze lemon juice on top as you work to prevent the apples from turning black. Drain the apples and toss them in ¼ cup (or more) sugar, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of cinnamon and salt.
Shaping the Dough
Now for the fun/hard looking part. Place a large clean tablecloth (or a plastic one - not as classy, but saves you cleaning). Some families have a special tablecloth just for this. Sprinkle flour over the tablecloth. Gently shape the ball into a rectangle and roll it into a larger rectangle until it’s ½ inch thick. Remove watches and all rings and bracelets. Gently powder your clean hands and arms with flour and stand opposite your fellow baker. Casually invite people to watch but act like you do this all the time. Start stretching the dough by placing your hands under the dough, palms down. Slowly, gently tease the dough from the middle to the edges using your knuckles or fists (so your nails don’t tear the dough). Keep pulling until the dough is so thin you can literally read through it. You will have to give the edges extra teases - you can do this gently with your fingers. When you don’t think the dough can get any thinner, or if it’s beginning to rip, lay it on the tablecloth. You are now ready to add the filling and shape the strudel.
Shaping the Strudel
Make a 4 inch line of apples on the longest edge of the dough, three or four inches from the edge of the dough. Cover the apples with the 3-4 inches of uncovered dough at the edge. Melt the butter and brush it on the dough. Combine ¼ cup sugar (or add more), 1 tablespoon of cinnamon and the nuts and sprinkle them on the rest of the dough. Stand beside (not opposite) your coworker and gently lift the tablecloth so that section of strudel with the filling rolls onto the dough. You can tuck in the dough at the two ends or leave them open - you’ll get a few more precious inches of strudel if you don’t tuck in. Continue this process until you’ve rolled up all of the dough. Carefully transport the strudel onto baking pans lined with parchment paper. You can cut them into rows the length of your pan or twist it into in an “S” shape on a large pan. Brush the top with melted butter. Combine the remaining sugar (or add more) with 1 tablespoon of cinnamon and sprinkle it on top. Bake at 350 for 30 or 40 minutes. Turn the heat to 400 for the last 5 minutes so the bottom becomes caramelized. You can under-bake the strudel in advance, then caramelize and crisp it up before serving. If you want to freeze, don’t bake it. Serve plain or with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or dare I say crème Anglaise. You don’t believe it now, but you’ll be making this again. Enjoy!
Recipe Contributed by Cindy Silvert, food columnist, humor writer, self-taught cook, former Southern NJ JNF-USA Board President and the author of “Aliyah.” You can purchase the book here (all proceeds go to JNF-USA). In Aliyah, Cindy teamed up with Jewish National Fund-USA to take readers on a journey through the history of Israel’s immigrant migration and the food they took with them. Mixing mouthwatering recipes with heartwarming tales of Jews from all over the globe returning home, she shows how Jews arrived in Israel from a farm in Argentina, the hot deserts of Egypt, the United States, and more, as well as the delectable dishes from each location that are now a part of Israel’s culinary culture.