Apple strudel is a classic dessert that originated in Austria. It consists of tart apples mixed with nuts and rolled into deliciously thin and flaky pastry crust. You can't go wrong when you serve fresh apple strudel straight from the oven.
Instructions
1. Place the lukewarm water in a small bowl and sprinkle the dry yeast over the top. Stir in 2 tbsp. sugar, and let the mixture sit undisturbed for 10 minutes. Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl, and stir them into the yeast mixture.
2. Scald the milk in a small saucepan, and stir the butter into the hot milk. Allow the butter and milk mixture to cool until it's warm to the touch, and add the yeast mixture. Add the flour very slowly, beating the mixture with an electric mixture until it's smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.
3. Oil a bowl lightly, and place the dough in the bowl. Turn the dough once to be sure it's coated with oil. Put a clean towel over the bowl and let the dough rise until it double in size, or about 1 to 2 hours.
4. Divide the dough into three pieces. Flour the working surface, and gently form each piece to fit three rectangular baking dishes, pressing the edges against the pans so the dough stays and doesn't spring back. If the dough isn't manageable, cover the pans, let the dough rest for about 30 minutes, and try again.
5. Peel and core the apples, and slice them thinly. Arrange the slices in lengthwise rows on the dough. Cover the baking pan loosely with a clean towel or a sheet of plastic wrap Put the pan of dough in a warm place, and let it rise until it doubles in size
6. Remove the plastic wrap, and pour the cream over the apples in each pan. Sprinkle sugar over each pan, and then sprinkle them generously with cinnamon.
7. Roll each section of dough, jelly-role style, into a log shape, and then form each log into a horseshoe shape. Brush the tops with cream, and sprinkle them with sugar. Bake the strudels in a 350-degree oven for about 35 minutes, or until the dough is golden.
Tags: about minutes, clean towel, dough bowl, form each, pans dough