Wiener Apfelstrudel

Ingredients:

Strudel dough

¼ kg (8.8 oz. / 2 cups) very fine flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 – 2 tablespoons oil

About 1/8 litre (1/2 cup) luke-warm water

100 g (3.5 oz. / ¾ cup) dry bread crumbs

125 g (4.4 oz. / 5/8 cup) butter

1 ½ - 2 kg (3 ½ - 4 ½ lbs.) apples

Sugar

Cinnamon

Ground cloves

Walnuts and raisins

“Apfelstrudel” Vienna’s favourite strudel

For the strudel dough, mix together flour, salt, oil and enough luke-warm water to make a soft dough. Knead very well until it becomes silky and smooth.

Form the dough into a loaf, cover and allow to rest for about 30 minutes. Roll out the dough on a table covered with a floured cloth. Place your hands under the dough and, using your thumbs and the back of your hand, gently begin pulling and stretching the dough until wafer-thin. Trim away the thick edges.

Brown the bread crumbs in some of the butter until golden brown. Brush the strudel dough with melted butter and spread the bread crumbs over it. Peel and core the apples, cut into thin slices (a cucumber slicer may be used) or grate coarsely. Season with sugar, cinnamon and a pinch of ground cloves and spread on top of the bread crumbs. If you like, scatter a few raisins and/or coarsely grated walnuts on top. Using the cloth to help lift the dough, roll up the strudel from the sides as you would a jelly roll. Place it seam side down on a baking tray, brush generously with butter and bake at 180°C (350°F) until golden brown.

Guten Appetit!