Simple Apple Strudel Recipe

In "The Sound of Music," Julie Andrews, in the role of a singing nun, warbles a little ditty about some of her favorite things. While not everyone will share her enthusiasm for doorbells, sleigh bells, string-tied packages, and snowed-on eyelashes, we can certainly agree about the warm apple strudel. This German/Austrian dish is really quite a delight. As recipe developer Jennine Bryant describes it, it is "super tasty" due to the fact that "the apples are sweet but tart, and the spiced sugar mixture they are cooked in balances the flavor well."

While a classic strudel recipe that begins with having to make your own pastry might be fairly labor intensive, this recipe is something Bryant calls "slightly simplified" as it is starts out with frozen puff pastry (thawed, of course). As Bryant tells us, using this shortcut makes this "a really quick and easy recipe to rustle up," particularly as it is made with ingredients that should be pretty easy to find. Whether you want a sweet breakfast or a simple dessert, this apple strudel recipe has you covered!

You'll need to begin my locating the frozen puff pastry in your supermarket, something that is often found in the frozen desserts aisle. You'll also need some apples, and Bryant uses granny smiths, as they are best for baking. In the dairy section, pick up some butter, milk, and eggs (you'll just need one of these), then, if you need to, swing through the center aisles to grab granulated sugar, brown sugar, corn starch, cinnamon, and allspice.

One of the ingredients Bryant uses here is something not everyone likes: raisins. Bryant says they are traditional in such recipes, and adds that "they do sort of get lost in the general sweet flavor of the strudel," but she says it's also traditional to use chopped nuts either in addition to or instead of the raisins. If you're no raisin fan, swap them out for a handful of chopped walnuts, or just leave them out of your strudel.

As you start the preparations, go ahead and preheat the oven to 425 F and also lay a sheet of pastry on the counter to thaw a bit. Peel and core the apples and slice them thinly. Melt the butter over medium-low heat, then add the apples to the pan. Sprinkle the apples with 2 tablespoons of the granulated sugar along with all of the brown sugar and the other dry ingredients. Sauté the apples, stirring, for about five minutes, until they are coated with sugary sauce. Turn off the heat, then stir in the raisins if you'll be using them. Let the apples cool.

Mix the egg and milk together, then roll the pastry out into a rectangle that's situated in portrait mode: short side on top. Once the apples are somewhat cool, spread them in a strip down the middle of the strudel, leaving an inch of apple-free space at the bottom and top and a wide strip of apple-free space on either side.

Fold the bottom and the top edges up over the apples, then take one of the long sides and fold it over so it covers half of the apple pile. Now use the egg and milk as "glue" and brush the mixture along the edge that you've just folded over. Take the other side of the pastry and fold it up and over, slightly overlapping the first side. Use additional egg and milk, if necessary, to make sure the glue holds, then flip the strudel onto a baking sheet with the seam on the bottom. Use a sharp knife to cut slashes into the top of the strudel, then brush the top with the remaining egg and milk. As a final touch before the strudel goes in the oven, sprinkle it with the remaining granulated sugar.

Bake the strudel for 25 minutes until the crust is flaky and golden. Allow the strudel to cool for 20 minutes before you serve it. Bryant likes to eat her strudel with whipped cream, but she suggests, "Apple strudel also tastes amazing served warm with vanilla ice cream or crème fraiche for those with less of a sweet tooth." Yet another serving idea would be to drizzle the strudel with warm caramel sauce or to sprinkle it with powdered sugar. Of course, you could just enjoy it as-is, with the sweetness of the apples and the decadence of the pastry being the perfect standalone treat!