Apple Strudel

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare Oven and Filling Ingredients

   • Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
   • Place raisins in a small bowl and cover with hot water. Let them soak for 15 minutes to plump up, then drain thoroughly and pat dry.
   • While raisins soak, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and toast, stirring constantly, for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and fragrant. Transfer to a large bowl to cool.
2. 2

   Create the Apple Filling

   • Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples (about 1/8-inch thick). Add them to the large bowl with the toasted breadcrumbs.
   • Add the drained raisins, chopped walnuts, brown sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to the bowl.
   • Gently toss everything together until the apples are evenly coated. Set aside.
3. 3

   Assemble the Phyllo Layers

   • Lay a large, clean kitchen towel or a sheet of parchment paper on your work surface with the long side facing you. This will help with rolling.
   • Carefully unroll your thawed phyllo dough. Keep the sheets you are not working with covered with a damp cloth to prevent them from drying out.
   • Place one sheet of phyllo on the towel. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the entire surface with melted butter.
   • Lay another sheet directly on top and brush it with butter. Repeat this process until you have a stack of 8 buttered phyllo sheets.
4. 4

   Fill and Roll the Strudel

   • Spoon the apple filling evenly over the phyllo stack, leaving a 2-inch border on the two long sides and one of the short sides. The filling should form a rectangular shape.
   • Fold the 2-inch side borders in over the filling. This will seal the ends.
   • Starting from the short side that has filling up to the edge, use the kitchen towel to help lift and tightly roll the dough into a log.
   • Carefully transfer the strudel log, seam-side down, onto the prepared baking sheet.
5. 5

   Bake to Golden Perfection

   • Brush the top and sides of the strudel generously with the remaining melted butter.
   • Using a sharp knife, make a few shallow diagonal slashes across the top of the strudel to allow steam to escape.
   • Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the pastry is a deep golden brown and crisp.
   • Remove from the oven and let the strudel cool on the baking sheet for at least 30 minutes. This is crucial for the filling to set, ensuring clean slices.
6. 6

   Serve and Enjoy

   • Just before serving, dust the top generously with powdered sugar.
   • Use a serrated knife to gently cut the strudel into 8 slices.
   • Serve warm, either on its own or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a dollop of whipped cream, or a drizzle of vanilla sauce.