What are the best apples to use in this recipe?

I use Pink Lady Apples most often, because I love the sweet-tart flavor and texture. I find them consistently perfect. But a good apple strudel can handle a variety of apples, including a tart apple like Granny Smith, or more mellow varieties like Gala or Honeycrisp.

What kind of raisins should I use?

Golden raisins or black raisins work well in this recipe.

Can I use white sugar instead of brown sugar?

Brown sugar adds a light caramel flavor in the strudel that I love. But a quarter cup sugar of any variety will work in this recipe.

Should I use an egg wash on the pastry?

We use a pastry brush to apply a thin coat of melted butter instead of egg wash, but if egg is your game, use it instead.

What is apple strudel made of?

Apple strudel consists of an oblong strudel pastry jacket with a spiced apple filling inside. The filling is made of cooking apples sugar, cinnamon, and bread crumbs, and sometimes nuts.

German Apple Strudel Recipe with Puff Pastry

Name: Easy Homemade German Apple Strudel Recipe with Puff Pastry
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: German
Ingredients: 1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted; 1/4 cup raisins; 1/4 cup cider or apple juice; 4 tablespoons butter, melted and divided; 2 1/2 cups apples, peeled and diced; 1/4 cup brown sugar; 1/4 cup walnuts, diced (optional); 1/4 cup fine breadcrumbs; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; 1 tablespoon raw sugar, for topping

Ingredients

Scale

1 sheet puff pastry, defrosted

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup cider or apple juice

4 tablespoons butter, melted and divided

2 1/2 cups apples, peeled and diced

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup walnuts, diced (optional)

1/4 cup fine breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon raw sugar, for topping

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Instructions

To begin, rehydrate your raisins in a small dish of cider or juice by microwaving for about 60-90 seconds, then setting aside the soaking raisins to rehydrate while preparing the rest of the strudel.
Melt butter, add 3 tablespoons to a large mixing bowl and reserve the final tablespoon in the pan. To the butter, add 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 walnuts, 1/4 cup fine breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Mix well.
Preheat oven to 375℉. Peel and dice apples. Keep the dice fairly small so the apples cook through in the oven. Pour lemon juice over the diced apples and toss to coat. Add apples to bowl of sugar and nuts. Drain raisins and add to the apple mixture and gently stir.
Unroll defrosted puff pastry dough on a floured surface or a sheet of parchment paper. If your pastry is showing fold marks, use a rolling pin to gently flatten, being careful not to deflate the pastry crust too much. (At this point, I move the sheet of puff pastry onto a sheet of parchment to make transferring the unbaked strudel easier.) Pour the apple filling in a line down the center of the dough rectangle. Gently fold the end of each side of the roll in onto the top of the apple raisin filling. Then fold one side in, over the short ends, then the other, sealing them gently. Transfer the unbaked strudel to the baking sheet. Place seam side down.
Using a sharp knife, make 6-8 cuts in the top of the pastry to allow steam to escape the baking strudel. Brush the reserved melted butter onto the strudel, then sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon raw sugar.
Transfer to the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the strudel from the oven and place the baking sheet on a cooling rack for at least 10 minutes.
At this point, it will be easy to transfer to a serving platter or cutting board, as the bottom of the strudel should be crisp and easy to move. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Notes

The crisp apple strudel will taste best the day you bake it, as that is when that puff pastry crust will be at the peak of crispiness. To store, wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on a baking tray at 350℉ just until heated through.

Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 35
Category: Desserts
Method: Bake
Cuisine: German