Austrian Apple Strudel with Cinnamon and Raisins
Apple strudel is an Austrian dessert made of dough stretched by hand until paper-thin and translucent, filled with apples, raisins, cinnamon, and toasted breadcrumbs, then rolled up. This dough needs high-protein flour and an hour of rest so it stretches without tearing.
- Prep
- 60 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 105 min
- Calories
- 340
Photo: Luca.favorido — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Strudel is one of Vienna's most famous desserts, and legend has it that authentic strudel dough must be stretched so thin you can read a newspaper through it. That is no exaggeration—it truly reaches the thickness of a sheet of paper.
Method
-
1
The Dough
Mix the flour with a pinch of salt, then add the warm water, oil, egg, and vinegar. Knead for 10-12 minutes until the dough becomes very smooth, elastic, and glossy. Vinegar slightly relaxes the gluten so the dough stretches more easily.
-
2
Warm Rest
Brush the dough with oil, cover it with a warm bowl (heat it with hot water, then wipe it dry), and let it rest for at least 1 hour. The warmth and rest fully relax the gluten—without this, the dough will snap back every time you stretch it.
-
3
Preparing the Filling
Cut the apples into thin 3 mm slices and toss them with the lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, and raisins. Do not let it sit for long—the sugar draws out moisture, and a wet filling will tear the dough.
-
4
Toasted Breadcrumbs — The Insulating Layer
Toast the breadcrumbs and almonds in 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat for 5 minutes until golden. This layer will be spread beneath the apples to absorb their juices so the dough does not get soggy. Without it, the base turns gummy.
-
5
Stretching the Dough
Spread a large cloth towel on your work surface and dust it with flour. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin, then place the backs of your hands underneath and gently stretch it from the center toward the edges as you move around it. Continue until it measures 60×70 cm and is translucent.
-
6
Assembly
Brush the entire dough with melted butter, spread the toasted breadcrumbs over one third of it, and arrange the apples on top. Leave a 3 cm empty border, and fold the side edges inward.
-
7
Rolling with the Towel
Lift the edge of the towel and let it roll the dough over itself—do not roll it directly with your hands. Transfer the roll to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, seam side down, and brush it with butter.
-
8
Baking
Bake at 190°C for 40-45 minutes, basting with butter every 15 minutes until golden and crisp. Let it rest for 20 minutes, dust with powdered sugar, and serve warm with cream.
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Tips that actually matter
- Use strong flour and allow a 1-hour rest in a warm spot so the dough stretches easily.
- Stretch using the backs of your hands, not your fingertips, to avoid puncturing the dough.
- The toasted breadcrumbs are a mandatory moisture barrier against the apple juices.
- Roll the strudel using the cloth towel rather than your bare hands.
- Brush with melted butter every 15 minutes while baking in the oven.
People also ask
Why does the dough tear while stretching?
Either the flour is too weak in protein, it did not rest long enough, or you are stretching with your fingertips. Use strong flour, let it rest for 1 hour in a warm spot, and stretch gently with the backs of your closed hands. Small tears are not a problem—the apples will cover them.
Can I use store-bought phyllo dough?
Yes, and it is a very practical shortcut—use 6-8 sheets, brushing melted butter between each layer. The result will be flakier and less chewy than authentic strudel, but the flavor is very close and it saves a lot of time.
Why did the bottom turn out soggy, and how do I fix it?
Either there were not enough toasted breadcrumbs, or the apples sat in sugar for too long before assembly. Toast 60 g of breadcrumbs in butter, spread them beneath the apples, and assemble the filling right before rolling rather than well in advance.
How long does it keep?
It is best on the day it is made, as the crispness diminishes afterward. It keeps for 2 days at room temperature covered with a cloth towel (not plastic wrap); reheat for 10 minutes at 170°C to restore its crispness.
Cook mode
Austrian Apple Strudel with Cinnamon and Raisins
-
1
The Dough
Mix the flour with a pinch of salt, then add the warm water, oil, egg, and vinegar. Knead for 10-12 minutes until the dough becomes very smooth, elastic, and glossy. Vinegar slightly relaxes the gluten so the dough stretches more easily.
-
2
Warm Rest
Brush the dough with oil, cover it with a warm bowl (heat it with hot water, then wipe it dry), and let it rest for at least 1 hour. The warmth and rest fully relax the gluten—without this, the dough will snap back every time you stretch it.
-
3
Preparing the Filling
Cut the apples into thin 3 mm slices and toss them with the lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, and raisins. Do not let it sit for long—the sugar draws out moisture, and a wet filling will tear the dough.
-
4
Toasted Breadcrumbs — The Insulating Layer
Toast the breadcrumbs and almonds in 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat for 5 minutes until golden. This layer will be spread beneath the apples to absorb their juices so the dough does not get soggy. Without it, the base turns gummy.
-
5
Stretching the Dough
Spread a large cloth towel on your work surface and dust it with flour. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin, then place the backs of your hands underneath and gently stretch it from the center toward the edges as you move around it. Continue until it measures 60×70 cm and is translucent.
-
6
Assembly
Brush the entire dough with melted butter, spread the toasted breadcrumbs over one third of it, and arrange the apples on top. Leave a 3 cm empty border, and fold the side edges inward.
-
7
Rolling with the Towel
Lift the edge of the towel and let it roll the dough over itself—do not roll it directly with your hands. Transfer the roll to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, seam side down, and brush it with butter.
-
8
Baking
Bake at 190°C for 40-45 minutes, basting with butter every 15 minutes until golden and crisp. Let it rest for 20 minutes, dust with powdered sugar, and serve warm with cream.
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