Shortcut Apple Strudel

Shortcut Apple Strudel

It's Thanksgiving weekend here in Canada and if you haven't had time to bake a pie for dessert, this last minute idea might just be a lifesaver. I've used golden delicious apples in this recipe which were quite sweet and didn't need a lot of extra sugar but judge for yourself if your apples are more tart, you may want to add a little more.


We use this idea all the time at our house and it was especially popular on Rock Recipes this summer when we first featured it in this Peach Version.

Shortcut Apple Strudel

Recipe by Barry C. Parsons

An easy, shortcut version of apple strudel using frozen puff pastry. A great quick Autumn dessert when apples are at their plentiful peak.

Prep time: 1/2 hour
Cook time: 1/2 hour
Total time: 1 hour
Yield: 6-8 servings
Ingredients

• 1 pound frozen puff pastry, thawed
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp water
• About 2 tbsp turbinado sugar
• 6 large apples, thinly sliced

Cooking Directions

1. On a piece of parchment paper, roll the pastry out to about 12x 12 inches. Place the parchment on a cookie sheet and chill in the fridge while you prepare the fruit filling.
2. Mix together the white sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and corn starch and then toss it together with the apple slices.
3. Place the fruit in the center 6 inches of the pastry, leaving about 1 inch at both ends.
4. Bring both sides of the pastry up over the fruit to meet in the middle. Pinch the seams together well and fold over a half inch to seal. Do the same for the two ends of the pastry as well.
5. Using the parchment paper to help, gently roll the prepared strudel onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet so that the seam is on the bottom. Chill the strudel well for about 20 minutes in the fridge. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
6. Just before you put the strudel into the oven, cut diagonal lines in the top of the pastry. Brush the surface of the pastry with an egg wash made by whisking together the egg and water.You will not need to use all the egg wash.
7. Sprinkle the top of the pastry with turbinado sugar or other coarse sugar.
8. Pop the strudel into the hot oven and bake for 20 minutes.
9. Reduce the heat to 375 degrees F and continue to bake for an additional 10 minutes or so or until the pastry is dark golden brown and the filling is beginning to bubble.
10. Serve warm with some good vanilla ice cream.

Easy Blueberry Apple Strudel

This is a great simple recipe that will come in handy when you need a quick dessert.


Serves 4 to 6

1 sheet frozen puff pastry
½ cup fresh or frozen blueberries
2-3 apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 tsp finely chopped lemon zest
2 tbsp melted butter
¼ cup brown sugar
1 egg + 2 tbsp water (beaten together to make an egg wash)
¼ cup turbinado sugar

Lay the puff pastry sheet flat on a parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the blueberries about 4 inches wide, down the center line of the pastry.
Mix together apples, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar. Spread evenly in a line in the middle of the puff pastry on top of the blueberries. Brush the egg wash along the edges of the dough. Bring the two opposite edges of the dough together, pinching the dough together to seal. Pinch the end edges of the dough together to seal as well. Gently roll the whole strudel over ensuring that the seam is on the bottom. Brush the entire strudel with egg wash and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar all over the surface. Cut 3-4 small slits in the top of the pastry to allow steam to escape. Cool in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before baking.

Note: Puff pastry warms up quickly once out of the fridge. If at any point the dough becomes too soft to handle easily, place the whole thing in the fridge for 10 minutes or so to cool.

Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 25-30 minutes or until evenly golden brown all over. Let rest for 15-20 minutes before cutting and serving. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream or gelato.