Yes. This time, I'm baking the cheat version using filo pastry. It's really easy and I can show you how...
Perfect and Easy Apple Strudelmade with filo pastry
After baking two different types of apple strudels, one from scratch at HERE and these using the filo pastry, I must say that it is a lot easier to bake apple strudel using filo pastry but are these apple strudels better than the ones that are made from scratch?
Honestly speaking, I can't really tell you which apple strudel tastes better because both are equally nice with thin crispy pastry. And both are maximally filled with apples. Yet, they can be differently nice in their own ways. For instance, these filo apple strudels have more multiple layers of super-thin crispy pastry but the filo pastry is not as firm and crisp as the one that is made from scratch at HERE.
Besides, these filo pastry apple strudels are made with more melted butter and so they smelled nicer being more buttery but more sinful than the one that is made from scratch at HERE.
Which one should I bake? If you are an experienced baker, you should try to bake both and see which one do you prefer. My son and I like both. He said that the apple strudel made from scratch is crisper and nice when it is freshly baked but these apple strudels made with filo pastry have crisper pastry when they are re-heated after frozen!
If you are lazy or just want to bake something easy and fuss free, I would strongly encourage you not to bake the strudel from scratch... Bake this and you'll be happy!
Before I proceed on to the video and recipe, I like to emphasize that this recipe makes TWO 25cm apple strudels because I prefer not to store the leftover pastry once the package is opened as the pastry will dry put very quickly after opening. Since one pack of filo pastry contains 20 sheets of 28 x 43 cm filo pastry, I can bake two strudels easily at one go using 10 sheets to assemble each.Anyway, these apple strudels are freezer-friendly and can be stored up to 3 months in a freezer. To reheat, simply bake frozen pastry at 180°C / 350°F for 15-20 minutes or until thoroughly warm and the pastry is crispy again. Fuss-free! And so easy!
To avoid storing any leftover pastry, I always prefer using all of the filo pastry.And I baked two apple strudels!
Multiple layers of thin crispy pastryand filled with lots of apples... YUM!!!
These filo apple strudels are super easy to bake! Watch my video.
Music: Bensound
How about baking apple strudels with puff pastry? After baking these delicious apple strudels using super thin homemade or filo pastry, I reckon the puff pastry apple strudels are oof! ... especially if we are using the reduced fat puff pastry. LOL!!!
If you like my recipes, videos and baking tips. please LIKE, SHARE and FOLLOW me at either my Facebook at here or here or my Instagram @zoebakeforhappykids or SUBSCRIBE my YouTube channel at here.Unfortunately, I know that Facebook and Instagram have lost its popularity recently. Hence, it will be nice if you can show your support by subscribing to my YouTube channel at here so that you will be informed of my latest video / recipe promptly whenever it is published.I would like to say again that every LIKE, SHARE and FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE from you means a lot to me. I will know that I'm in the right track and continue to bake and share more in the future. Thank you so much for your support! Here's the recipe.Makes two strudel, each is about 25cm long
You can use half of the ingredients to make just one but I prefer to bake two at a go because I prefer not to store the leftover pastry as the opened unused pastry tends to dry put very quickly after opening.
For the apple filling:
100g raisins
60ml (1/4 cup) rum or water
120g breadcrumbs60g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
70g dark muscovado sugar or dark brown sugar or caster sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 large or 4 medium apples that are suitable for baking - I used Granny Smith, about 600g before peeled and cored
about 2-3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla paste
For the pastry:
375g phyllo (filo) pastry sheets, 20 in total, 28 x 43 cm each
120g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly, plus more if required
For the filling:
Add raisins and rum or water in a heatproof bowl or small cooking pan. Microwave with short pulses (10-20 secs) of high power and heat with medium low heat until the raisins are just lightly heated (not boiling). Set aside for about 10 mins to allow the raisins to absorb the moisture and become softened.
Combine melted butter and breadcrumbs in a medium mixing bowl, making sure that the breadcrumbs are thoroughly mixed with butter until golden.
Add sugar and cinnamon into the breadcrumbs. Mix well and set aside.
Peel apples. Cut into quarters and remove their cores. Chop every quarter into about 0.5 cm thick slices. Toss with lemon juice to coat the apples thoroughly - This will prevent the apples becoming brown. Add raisins (without any unabsorbed liquid) and vanilla into the apples. Mix well to combine.
Assembly and bake:
Preheat oven at 200°C / 400°F.
Take 10 phyllo sheets first and cover the rest with plastic wrap and wet towel to prevent them from drying.
Layer 2 phyllo sheets together and brush melted butter on it. Place another 2 phyllo sheets on it and brush melted butter on it. Repeat until all of the 10 phyllo sheets have used up and do not brush all of the top of the last two sheets with butter.
Divide sheet into 2 halves. Brush one half with melted butter. Spread the half of the breadcrumb-mixture over the other half - So one side is brushed with butter and the other is covered with breadcrumbs.
Arrange half of the apples with their lengths parallel to the width of the pastry evenly on the breadcrumbs, leaving about 2-3 cm of the edges uncovered with apples.
To shape, fold in 2-3cm top and bottom ends of the dough. Starting at the apple-side of the dough, roll the apple and pastry tightly like a Swiss roll.
Repeat this shaping and assembly steps with the remaining 10 phyllo sheets, breadcrumbs mixture and apple filling, leaving about 30g melted butter for brushing the pastry before baking.
Line a baking tray with baking paper. Transfer both strudels onto the lined tray with its seam side down.
Brush the assembled strudels generously with remaining melted butter.
Bake for 15 mins until pastry is golden and crisp, then reduce oven temperature to 180°C / 350°F and continue to bake for another 25 mins or until the apples are tender and thoroughly cooked.
Allow pastry to cool slightly about 10 mins on the tray, then transfer onto a wire rack to cool further or completely. Slice and serve with or without icing sugar.Best to consume the strudel within the same day of bake but the leftover can be stored in freezer bags or zip-locks, then in a freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, do not thaw frozen pastry. Place frozen in pre-heated oven and bake at 180°C / 350°F for 15-20 mins or until thoroughly warm and the pastry is crispy again.Happy Baking
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