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Hungarian Apple Strudel – Almás Rétes

What is strudel?

Strudel is a type of thin, flaky layered pastry with a filling that is usually sweet, but savory fillings are also very popular in Hungary, my favorite is the cabbage strudel. Strudel became popular during the Austro-Hungarian Empire, however, the oldest known strudel recipe is from 1697. Strudel is part of Austrian cuisine but is also common in other Central European cuisines as well, and it one of the most beloved traditional pastries among Hungarians, apple strudel is favorite filling.

What Pastry is Used for Strudel?

If you are an experienced baker, you can make the dough from scratch, or you can just make it using pre-made phyllo dough.

The traditional dough is very simple to put together, the tricky part is when you have to stretch the dough to make it paper thin. You have to gently pull and stretch the dough paper-thin from the inside to the outside, working your way around the sheet of dough.

To make things simpler and to save time, this version calls for refrigerated or frozen phyllo dough, your strudel will be done in less than an hour.

What are the Best Apples to Use for Apple Strudel?

Hungarians love the use shredded apples when making apple strudel or apple pie, I prefer using tart apples, such as Granny’s Smith, Pink Lady, Jonagold.

Once you shredded the apples, add some powdered sugar, ground cinnamon and a little lemon juice. Let is sit for a couple minutes, you will experience that the apples release a nice amount of juice that you have to drain. Also, you can squeeze the juice out using your hands, just take handful of apples and, with your hands clenched, squeeze out most of the juice.

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Hungarian Apple Strudel

Traditional Apple Strudel Recipe is made with phyllo dough. Crisp, golden crust with delicious apple filling, easy to make, done in 1 hour. Strudel is a type of thin, flaky layered pastry with a filling that is usually sweet, but savory fillings are also very popular in Hungary, my favorite is the cabbage strudel.

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Total Time 1 hr

Course Dessert

Cuisine Hungarian

Servings 4 people

Equipment

Pastry brush
Grater
2 Medium bowls
Paring knife
Clean kitchen towel
Measuring spoons
Parchment paper
Baking tin
1 Saucepan

Ingredients

4 sheets phyllo dough-defrosted
4 tbsp butter
5 medium tart apples
1/2 lemon juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp powdered sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
In a saucepan brown 4 tablespoons butter. Take pan of the heat and set aside
Apple Filling: Peel the apples and shred them. Add sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice. Mix well, let sit for 10-15minutes.
Then, take large handfuls of apples and, with your hands clenched, squeeze out as much liquid as you can and place the balls of squeezed apples in a bowl.
Open the box of phyllo dough and slowly and carefully unroll the package.
Take one sheet and carefully lay it down on the wet kitchen towel. Carefully and GENTLY brush the sheet with browned butter. Place a second, third and layer, brushing each one as first.
Place the apple filling evenly on the side of the dough in a row. Roll it tightly and carefully transfer the roll to the baking tin. Brush the strudel with the browned butter.
Place it into the pre-heated oven and bake for about 15-20 minutes or until light brown.
Remove from the oven and let it cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.