We are delighted to present you with an apple recipe by Véronique Witzigmann: apple strudel with pumpernickel breadcrumbs. Véronique Witzigmann, expert on all things sweet and especially well known for her fruit preserves and chutneys, has enthusiastically supported us at baking events (see ‘Backen mit der Plätzchen-Expertin’ (baking with the biscuit expert) and other events. Her book “ein süßes Stück vom Glück” is a declaration of love for sweet delicacies such as pastries, tray bakes and all types of strudel.

 

Ingredients for 1 strudel:
To make the dough:
300 g bread/all-purpose flour (Wiener Griessler is ideal if in Germany)
50ml neutral oil (e.g. sunflower or rapeseed oil)
A pinch of salt
½ tsp vinegar
1 egg yolk
Oil for the ball of dough

 

To make the filling:
600g full-flavoured apples
2 tbsp sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
A pinch of clove powder
2 tbsp of lemon juice
50g sponge fingers (lady finger biscuits)
40g pumpernickel
30g ground walnuts
30g butter
1 ½ tbsp icing sugar
30g currants

 

To finish:
80g butter for brushing
Icing sugar for dusting

 

And also:
1 (pastry) cloth for rolling out the strudel
Flour for the cloth

 

 

Tips from Véronique Witzigmann:
Full-flavoured apple varieties such as Boskop (Belle de Boskoop) or Topaz are best suited for an apple strudel. You can also use ready-made strudel pastry if you prefer.

 

Preparation (Preparation time: 45 minutes, resting time: 24 hours, baking time: 40 Min.):
Step 1:
To make the dough, mix the flour, oil, 150ml hot water, salt, vinegar and egg yolk using the dough hook on a hand mixer. Then knead the dough by hand for c. 10 minutes. Form the dough into a ball, rub with oil and cover in cling film. Leave to sit for 24 hours.

 

Step 2:
Preheat the oven to 180°C (Fan 160°C, gas level 2-3). Line a baking tray with baking paper.

 

Step 3:
To prepare the filling, peel, halve and then quarter the apples and remove the cores. Next thinly slice the apples. Mix the apples with the sugar, cinnamon, clove powder and lemon juice in a bowl.

 

Step 4:
Finely grind the sponge fingers, pumpernickel and walnuts with a hand blender or in a food processor to create a breadcrumb-type mix. Melt 30g butter in a pan and fry the breadcrumbs with the icing sugar until golden.

 

Step 5:
Melt some butter and have your pastry brush ready for brushing the the strudel in the next step.

 

Step 6:
Dust the pastry cloth with flour. Roll out the dough on the cloth until it is wafer-thin, and cut to a size of c. 60 x 60 cm. Brush the dough with the melted butter. Cover three quarters of the
dough – starting at the bottom end closest to you – with the breadcrumb mix, apple slices and currants. Using the cloth to help, roll the strudel – starting from the bottom towards the top. Also brush the edges with butter before creating the seam. Knead the remaining dough you have cut off and freeze it.

 

Step 7:
Place the seam-side of the strudel down on the baking tray and brush with butter. Bake the strudel in the oven for 40 minutes until golden. Brush the strudel with butter twice during this baking time. Take the strudel out of the oven, dust with icing sugar according to taste and serve lukewarm. Bon appetit!

 

 

(Image source: https://www.suedtirolerapfel.com/de/unsere-rezeptideen/66-apfelstrudel-mit-muerbteig.html)