Apple strudel (with easy whipping-cream dough)

Autumn calls for apple desserts. And what’s better than apple strudel? If you don’t want to use ready-made puff pastry, but you still want something easy, this recipe might be the right choice for you. The dough is made from whipping cream and is really easy to work with.

There is no sugar in the dough itself, the sugar is only in the apple filling. Thus, the dough is of a really neutral taste. You could even use this dough for savory recipes. I recommend adding a bit more sugar than usual into the filling and also sprinkle the top of the strudel with sugar when done.

Ingredients

Dough:

• 500 g plain flour (“hladká” in Czech shops)
• 250 ml whipping cream
• 2 spoons of white vinegar
• 2 eggs + 1 egg for brushing the top of the pastry
• 1/2 pack of baking powder (approximately 6 – 7 g)
• pinch of salt

Filling:

• 6 – 8 big apples, peeled, cored and coarsely grated, you can use more, based on preferences.
• 2 – 4 tablespoon powder sugar, remember that the dough itself is not sweet!
• 1 – 2 tablespoon cinnamon powder
• crushed or ground walnuts, I used around two handfuls
• bread crumbs (small amount, to be put below the apple filling to prevent the dough from soaking too much apple juice)

Directions

Preheat oven to 180ºC (356ºF). Line a large baking tray with baking paper.

Make the dough

In a large bowl, mix the cream and two eggs. In a separate bowl, mix baking powder with flour and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture into the cream. Add the vinegar and mix everything together. It is the best to use your hands for mixing and working with the dough once the mixture becomes a bit solid. The dough should be soft and sticky, definitely not liquid.

Wrap the dough with plastic foil and store in a fridge for 30 mins.

Prepare the filling

In a bowl, mix the grated apples, walnuts, sugar and cinnamon.

Assemble the strudel

Take the dough out of the fridge and divide it into three same pieces. Over a large work surface, roll out each of the dough pieces so you get three ovals.

Transfer one of the rolled-out dough pieces on the tray. Make several linear cuts with a knife along the edges of the rolled-out dough, on both of the longer sides of the dough oval. This will later allow you to create the nice sort of braided structure on the top of the strudel. The cuts should not be too long, leave enough space in the midle.

Put small amount of bread crumbs along the middle of the dough oval. Arrange the apple filling along the middle of the dough oval. Gradually fold the dough stripes (you cut on each side of the oval before) over each other so that the apples in the middle are fully covered (see the picture).

Do the same again with the other two pieces of the dough.

Whisk an egg and brush it onto the strudels.

Bake for about 30 – 35 mins until golden.