Apfel Strudel von Max Prelog

This is an authentic Austrian recipe for Apfel Strudel. Max learnt this working as a baker in post war Austria and has been making it for over 40 years. Enjoy Apfel Strudel with a huge mound of whipped cream and a coffee for an Austrian, afternoon treat.

Ingredients
Pastry

• 250g plain flour, sifted
• 1 egg, beaten
• pinch fine salt
• pinch vinegar (any will do)
• 1.5 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup body temperature water

Filling

• 2.5Kg Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into segments
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup walnuts, coarsly chopped
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 150g butter

Instructions

Mix all pastry ingredients together
Work ingredients into a dough with hands, make sure you work it hard against the side of the bowl You are aiming for quite a sticky dough, it should stick to your hands and the bowl
Cover dough with a film of oil Place on a plate then cover with an upturned bowl that is wet on the inside Leave for between 1 hour to 1 day, the longer the better The most important thing is that no skin forms on the dough, if this happens throw it away and start again
Now for the Apfelstrudel filling Mix sugar and cinnamon Peel apples, cut into segments and cover with some lemon juice to prevent going brown Coarsly chop walnuts
Toast breadcrumbs in half the butter until golden In another pan melt the other half of the butter
Lay a clean tablecloth over a dining room table and dust with flour. Dust more heavily in the center of the table
Place dough in center of table Dust with flour and a coating of oil Roll with a pin into a rectangular shape
This is the bit that takes years of practice so don´t be upset if the pastry tears. Work around the pastry teasing it towards the edge of the table by placing one hand palm upwards underneath the pastry and gently pulling Keep going until dough is paper thin and in a rectangle shape Top tip - make more than one batch of pastry so you can have another go
Along one long side of the pastry spread out the: breadcrumbs apples raisins walnuts cinnamon sugar melted butter
Trim edges of pastry Pick up tablecloth and in one smooth motion roll into a long tube
Butter a large flat baking tray Cut the Apfelstrudel into lengths that will fit into tray and place side by side Pop into oven preheated to 150C for 20 mins After 20 mins brush with melted butter and put back into oven for another 25 mins or until golden brown
Remove from oven, trim edges and then cut into thick, generous slices Place on a serving dish and dust with icing sugar
Serve the Apfel Strudel warm with a huge mound of whipped cream, a large cup of coffee and some happy friends