Mulberry Strudel

I’ll never forget the apple strudel that our neighbor Mrs. M gave us shortly after the boys were born, it was so good, good like a strudel should be.  The crust was light and crispy, the filling was sweet with a slight crunch of apple and golden raisins.  I remember asking her please show me how you made this.  She gave me a quick run down saying its easy and she makes several at once freezing the rest, and the key ingredient is vanilla wafers.  I did not forget this.  So when the Daring Bakers Challenge for May was announced I was so excited and I knew I must use vanilla wafers no matter what.   I like to use ingredients that are in season or reflect on me somehow so I choose to make a Mulberry with sweet cream cheese.  Mulberries because my In-laws have a Mulberry tree that had tons of fruit and I always wanted to cook something with mulberries, so I thought this was my perfect opportunity. I am glad I did because it turned out really good.  Though I could of used a little help getting this dough paper thin, without holes.  Nevertheless the final product was delicious!

The May Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Linda of make life sweeter! and Courtney of Coco Cooks. They chose Apple Strudel from the recipe book Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague by Rick Rodgers.

Please be sure to check out the other daring bakers participants blogs and see their Strudel creations. On to the recipe, I made changes to the filling but not to the dough recipe.

Dough Ingredients:1 1/3 cups unbleached flour, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 7 tablespoons (105 ml) water, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil, plus additional for coating the dough, 1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar

in stand mixer add  flour and salt

Then in separate dish add 2 T oil, 7 T water, and 1/2 t vinegar

Then slowly add the wet ingredients and beat until incorporated with a rough texture

Then knead for 2-3  minutes on a  un floured surface, picking up and throwing the dough a few times until you reach a smooth texture

Slightly oil and cover with plastic wrap and let sit for 30-90 minutes, longer the better

Mulberries are slightly sweet fruit from a mulberry tree and they take a little prep work to eat.

Mulberries have a stem down the center of the fruit that needs to be removed, it easily pops out of the ripe berries.

Once all the stems are removed, add 1/2 cup of sugar to the fruit and allow to sit in the refrigerator over night.

Be sure to wear gloves or your fingers will look like this for days!!!

Filling Ingredients:

2-3 cups sweetened mulberries, 1 block cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, 1-2 cups crushed vanilla wafers, 1 tsp vanilla

Cream together, cheese, sugar and vanilla

Be sure to scrap the sides of the bowl down

On a large working surface, spread out a soft table cloth

This table cloth is my Great Grandmother T’s, she would approve of this!

Flour it well

Then place your dough ball, and roll it out as much as possible

Then begin stretching the dough with the backs of your hands, let the weight of the dough slowly stretch

Note: I was not very good at this and found that I cut the dough in half and strectched out two pieces, then seemed them together

Lightly coat the dough with melted butter

Then sprinkle crushed vanilla wafer over the dough

Then smooth a layer of the cream cheese

Then the mulberries- and gently fold the sides up

Now take the table cloth and use it to flip the dough until completely  wrapped around.

Next transfer the strudel using the table cloth onto a large baking dish

Brush the top with melted butter, and sprinkle with sugar

Bake @ 400 for 30 minutes, or until golden brown

Wait about 30 minutes before slicing, if you can!

I just loved the flakiness of the strudel dough, combined with the sweet cheese, and berries, yum!

I just loved the crispiness the sugar on top gave the dough

Print This Recipe
Apple strudel (original Recipe)

Preparation time
Total: 2 hours 15 minutes – 3 hours 30 minutes

15-20 min to make dough
30-90 min to let dough rest/to prepare the filling
20-30 min to roll out and stretch dough
10 min to fill and roll dough
30 min to bake
30 min to cool

Mulberry Filling

2-3 cups sweetened mulberries, 1 block cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, 1-2 cups crushed vanilla wafers, 1 tsp vanilla

directions:

Cream together, cheese, sugar and vanilla, set aside.  Then roll out dough following directions below, sprinkle on crushed wafers, then layer the cream cheese and mulberries on top.

Apple strudel
from “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers

2 tablespoons (30 ml) golden rum
3 tablespoons (45 ml) raisins
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (80 g) sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick / 115 g) unsalted butter, melted, divided
1 1/2 cups (350 ml) fresh bread crumbs
strudel dough (recipe below)
1/2 cup (120 ml, about 60 g) coarsely chopped walnuts
2 pounds (900 g) tart cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼ inch-thick slices (use apples that hold their shape during baking)

1. Mix the rum and raisins in a bowl. Mix the cinnamon and sugar in another bowl.

2. Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the breadcrumbs and cook whilst stirring until golden and toasted. This will take about 3 minutes. Let it cool completely.

3. Put the rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with baking paper (parchment paper). Make the strudel dough as described below. Spread about 3 tablespoons of the remaining melted butter over the dough using your hands (a bristle brush could tear the dough, you could use a special feather pastry brush instead of your hands). Sprinkle the buttered dough with the bread crumbs. Spread the walnuts about 3 inches (8 cm) from the short edge of the dough in a 6-inch-(15cm)-wide strip. Mix the apples with the raisins (including the rum), and the cinnamon sugar. Spread the mixture over the walnuts.

4. Fold the short end of the dough onto the filling. Lift the tablecloth at the short end of the dough so that the strudel rolls onto itself. Transfer the strudel to the prepared baking sheet by lifting it. Curve it into a horseshoe to fit. Tuck the ends under the strudel. Brush the top with the remaining melted butter.

5. Bake the strudel for about 30 minutes or until it is deep golden brown. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Use a serrated knife and serve either warm or at room temperature. It is best on the day it is baked.

Strudel dough
from “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers

1 1/3 cups (200 g) unbleached flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons (105 ml) water, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil, plus additional for coating the dough
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar

1. Combine the flour and salt in a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the water, oil and vinegar in a measuring cup. Add the water/oil mixture to the flour with the mixer on low speed. You will get a soft dough. Make sure it is not too dry, add a little more water if necessary.
Take the dough out of the mixer. Change to the dough hook. Put the dough ball back in the mixer. Let the dough knead on medium until you get a soft dough ball with a somewhat rough surface.

2. Take the dough out of the mixer and continue kneading by hand on an unfloured work surface. Knead for about 2 minutes. Pick up the dough and throw it down hard onto your working surface occasionally.
Shape the dough into a ball and transfer it to a plate. Oil the top of the dough ball lightly. Cover the ball tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to stand for 30-90 minutes (longer is better).

3. It would be best if you have a work area that you can walk around on all sides like a 36 inch (90 cm) round table or a work surface of 23 x 38 inches (60 x 100 cm). Cover your working area with table cloth, dust it with flour and rub it into the fabric. Put your dough ball in the middle and roll it out as much as you can.
Pick the dough up by holding it by an edge. This way the weight of the dough and gravity can help stretching it as it hangs. Using the back of your hands to gently stretch and pull the dough. You can use your forearms to support it.

4. The dough will become too large to hold. Put it on your work surface. Leave the thicker edge of the dough to hang over the edge of the table. Place your hands underneath the dough and stretch and pull the dough thinner using the backs of your hands. Stretch and pull the dough until it’s about 2 feet (60 cm) wide and 3 feet (90 cm) long, it will be tissue-thin by this time. Cut away the thick dough around the edges with scissors. The dough is now ready to be filled.

Tips
– Ingredients are cheap so we would recommend making a double batch of the dough, that way you can practice the pulling and stretching of the dough with the first batch and if it doesn’t come out like it should you can use the second batch to give it another try;
– The tablecloth can be cotton or polyster;
– Before pulling and stretching the dough, remove your jewelry from hands and wrists, and wear short-sleeves;
– To make it easier to pull the dough, you can use your hip to secure the dough against the edge of the table;
– Few small holes in the dough is not a problem as the dough will be rolled, making (most of) the holes invisible.