strudelqueen: 2010

I have been getting request for the recipe for the Hand Stretched Strudel Dough, well here it is. This week I will be making a delicious prune plum strudel and hope to publish the pictures.

STRUDEL DOUGH
(Yield 1 Strudel, Serves 15)

Ingredients

12-ounce flour-bread, high protein, King Arthur (Total flour 2 ¾ cups scoop and sweep method)
1 egg-large
2 oz butter, unsalted, soft
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup water, warm, (more water, if needed)
1-tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Tools

1. Table 3 feet x 3 feet: or card table.
2. Clean tablecloth to cover table. (The cloth helps in the stretching and rolling the strudel once it is filled.)
3. Kitchen aid mixer, rolling pin, parchment paper, sheet tray and pastry brush.

Procedure for dough

1. Place flour, butter and salt in mixer bowl.
2. Mix with paddle on low speed until incorporated. Add egg and mix; add warm water and vinegar to make soft dough. Might need to add more water one tablespoon at the time if it is too dry. Side of the bowl should glisten with a little moisture.
3. Change to dough hook and knead the dough at medium speed, until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
4. Lightly flour counter top. Place dough on table and form dough into a log and with a gentle force hit against the table; fold the stretched dough under itself and repeatedly “Hit” dough against the table about a 100 times. This teaches the dough to stretch.
5. Form dough into ball and coat with vegetable oil. Cover with plastic wrap; let rest for 1 hour at room temperature.

Make fillings during the hour wait for the dough to rest.

STRUDEL DOUGH PROCEDURE

To Make Strudel:

Ingredients

1 hand made strudel dough
1/2cup melted butter
½ cup breadcrumbs (homemade or fine, plain)
½ cup vanilla wafers, sugar cookies or “Cookie Dust” for sweet Strudel

Procedure

1. Spread a smooth linen cloth over table. Sprinkle evenly with flour.
2. Place relaxed dough into center and with rolling pin roll into a small square.
Brush with melted butter.
3. Using both hands insert hands under dough, palm down and gently pull with the back of your hand constantly moving around the table until it is paper-thin. Trim overhanging dough.
4. Brush with melted butter. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of crushed sugar cookies, Cookie Dust or 1/2 cup breadcrumbs. (Breadcrumbs for savory strudel) Recipes to follow.
5. Spoon a row of filling leaving an edge on top and sides. Using the tablecloth roll the dough over like a jellyroll, finish with seam side up. Carefully roll on parchment lined sheet tray. Brush top with melted butter, cut slits at an angle with sharp knife 2 inches apart and bake in preheated oven until golden about 35-40 minutes, rotating for even baking and brushing with melted butter while baking.
6. Cool strudel and cut into 2-inch portions with sharp knife.
7. Dust with confectioner sugar and serve. If savory strudel use appropriate sauce.
Fresh Bread crumbs
6 slices white bread
¼ cup melted unsalted butter
1. To make the coarse breadcrumbs, toast slices of white bread in the oven until crisp, about 10 minutes. Break into pieces and place in a food processor. Pulse the processor until the bread resembles large breadcrumbs.
2. In a sauté pan, over medium heat, sauté the breadcrumbs in 1/4 cup of the melted butter until they are golden brown.
Cookie Dust
2 cups blanched almonds
1cup flour
1cup sugar
1/2cup Amaretti cookies (Italian Specialty)
Process in food processor until fine “Dust”. Store in Refrigerator.