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Dessert - by Scarlett

 
From soufflé to parfait, you'll find my personal selection of yummy dessert recipes here and more!! So for home-made goodness or sweet treats around Sydney, be sure to check here - oh, and bon appétit!! Scarlett :)

Apple and Currant Strudel

September 11th 2007 10:33
Apple and Currant Strudel
Apple and Currant Strudel



About strudel

Strudel is a type of Central European pastry, especially popular in Austria, where it is believed to have originated. Strudel pastry is very elastic, it is made from flour with a high gluten content and with very little fat and no sugar. The pastry is rolled out and stretched very thinly over the back of one’s hand, it should be so thin that a newspaper can be read through it. Then the pastry is laid out on a tea towel, filled and then rolled up with the towel. It is baked in an oven.

There are many varieties of strudel filling in this region, ranging from poppy seed, raisin and honey to sweet cheese. Cherry or apple strudels are among the most popular. A true strudel pastry is very thin, light and crispy, and takes a long time to roll out; nevertheless, it really is worth the effort.



INGREDIENTS
Makes 1 strudel


For the pastry

150 gm plain flour
⅛ teaspoon salt
30 gm butter
1 egg
100 ml warm water



For the filling

3 green apples

30 gm dried black currants
30 gm dried grapes
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon lemon juice
4 tablespoons breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons melted butter
icing sugar



1. Preheat the oven to 190ºC. Grease and line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. For the pastry. Sift the flour and salt together in a large warm bowl. Make a well in the centre; add ½ egg and the butter. You can do this by hand or use a mixer. Stirring constantly, gradually add the lukewarm water. Keep the mixture a smooth paste and keep mixing until a soft dough is formed. Cover with cling film and set aside for 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Peel, core and dice apples, and then mix with lemon juice.

4. In a large bowl, mix together the diced apples with lemon juice, black currants, dried grapes, cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs. Set aside.

5. Cover a large table with a cloth. Dust the cloth well with flour and rub the strudel dough in lightly.

6. Using plenty of dusting flour, place one piece of dough in the center of the table and, with a rolling pin, roll it out roughly into an oval or rectangle with about ¾-cm thickness. This step is meant only to start the stretching, so don’t try to roll the dough too thin. Cover with damp towel and set aside for 10 minutes.

7. Put your hands under the dough with the backs of the hands up. Carefully begin stretching the dough from the center outward, using the backs of your hands, not your fingers, to avoid poking holes in the dough. Work your way around the table, gently stretching the dough little by little in all directions. Concentrate on the thickest parts of the dough, so that it is of even thickness all around.

8. Keep on stretching the dough until it is paper thin and nearly transparent. If small holes appear, you can ignore them; if large holes appear, patch them with pieces of dough from the edges after stretching is complete.

9. Brush the dough all over with the melted butter. If you brush the fat on, draw the brush very lightly over the dough to avoid tearing it.

10. Sprinkle the remaining breadcrumbs evenly over the dough.

11. Spread the filling over the pastry, in the centre, leaving a gap all the way round the edge, about 2.5cm/1-in wide. Roll up the pastry carefully and brush with egg juice.

12. Place the strudel on the prepared baking tray, bake for 30 minutes.

13. When cool, cut into pieces, dust with icing sugar.


**From “Dessert by Winnie”, “Professional Baking” and “Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia”**

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Apple Strudel

July 30th 2006 09:39
Apple Strudel

About Strudel

Strudel is a type of Central European pastry, especially popular in Austria, where it is believed to have originated. The best known kinds are Apple Strudel, Topfen Strudel, Sour Cherry Strudel and Poppy Seed Strudel.
We first started making strudel years ago and, after some experimental versions, settled on this one - which is fairly authentic. When we first made it, we also made authentic strudel dough using olive oil and flour. Which, although very pleasant to eat, is a bit of a bind to make in a busy kitchen. So we went on to filo which is a lot easier to manage.
This classic recipe is usually made with strudel dough, but filo pastry makes a good shortcut.



INGREDIENTS
Serves 8-10

500 gm / 1¼ lb packet large sheets of filo pastry, thawed if frozen
115 gm / ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
icing sugar, for dredging
cream, to serve


For the filling
1 Kg / 2¼ lb apples, cored, peeled and sliced
115 gm / 2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
50 gm / 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
150 gm sugar
5 ml / 1 teaspoon cinnamon
75 gm / generous ½ cup raisins
finely grated rind of 1 lemon



1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. For the filling, place the sliced apples in a bowl. Stir in the breadcrumbs, butter, sugar, cinnamon, raisins and grated lemon rind.


2. Lay 1 or 2 sheets of pastry on a floured surface and brush with melted butter. Place another 1 or 2 sheets on top, and continue until there are 4 - 5 layers in all.


3. Put the apple on the pastry, with a 2.5cm/1-in border all around.


4. Fold in the two shorter sides to enclose the filling, then roll up like a Swiss roll. Place the strudel on a lightly buttered baking sheet.

5. Brush the pastry with the remaining butter. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. Leave to cool before dusting with icing sugar. Serve in thick diagonal slices.



**From “The Practical Encyclopedia of East European Cooking” and “Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia”**

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Cherry Strudel

July 23rd 2006 15:27
Cherry Strudel

About Strudel

[ Click here to read more ]
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