Apple Strudel
We know what you're thinking. What even is a strudel?! We'll tell you because we're obsessed and its honestly pretty simple: Strudel is a layered pastry with a gooey filling. It can be done with all types of filling but the most popular is apple and this one is made even more delicious with the addition with cinnamon, lemon zest, and raisins.
If you're pie making pro whose curious if making your own pastry is worth it, we promise you in this case you might want to save your energy. Filo dough requires creating stacking incredibly thin layers, lathering them all with oil or butter. After all that work its not even guaranteed that you'll get the flaky results you want, and even if you do, we can almost promise you won't be able to taste the difference between homemade and store-bought (trust us, we've tried it).
Here are some answers to some quick strudel questions:
Where is strudel from?
Strudel is Austrian/German in origin! Apple is the most popular but you can use different fruits and even savory fillings!
What is the difference between strudel and streusel?
Streusel is the crumbly mixture you might add to an an apple pie or crisp, strudel is the roll dessert in this recipe.
What type of apple should I use?
Granny smiths are great for their tartness that will balance out the sweetness of the raisins. But any other baking apples like Gala, Brae Burns or Honey Crisps will work well here!
What do the breadcrumbs do?
Because the apples are not pre-cooked they will leach out a lot of their juices during baking. The breadcrumbs help to soak up all the liquid and create a toothsome, cakey texture that balances well with the crackly filo dough.
Have some extra filo? Make our favorite spanakopita for a deliciously savory way to use your leftovers. And, if you're tried this strudel this recipe, let us know how it went in the comments below!
Editor's note: This recipe was update to add a video and more information about the dish in the introduction on August 22nd, 2022.
- Yields:
- 1
- Prep Time:
- 15 mins
- Total Time:
- 1 hr 15 mins
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 c.
sliced, peeled Granny Smith apples
- 1 1/2 tsp.
ground cinnamon, plus more for garnish
Zest of 1/2 a lemon
- 1/2 c.
granulated sugar
Pinch kosher salt
- 1/2 c.
raisins
- 1 c.
breadcrumbs
- 1/2 c.
(1 stick) butter, melted, plus more for greasing
- 15
sheets filo pastry
Powdered sugar, for garnish
Directions
- Step 1Preheat oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment. In a large bowl, stir together apples, cinnamon, lemon zest, sugar, salt, and raisins. Fold in breadcrumbs.
- Step 2On a tea towel, place down one sheet of filo and brush with melted butter. Lay another sheet on top, then brush with more butter. Repeat until you’ve used all filo sheets. (Don't butter the top.)
- Step 3Turn filo dough so the short side is facing you. Pile apple filling on the third of dough closest to you, leaving a 2" border on each side. Using the tea towel to help you, fold bottom of filo over apple filling. Fold over side edges as well, then roll away from you until filling is enclosed and the seam is on the bottom.
- Step 4Transfer to prepared baking sheet and brush with melted butter.
- Step 5Bake until golden brown, about 35 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, then sprinkle with powdered sugar and cinnamon before serving.