Apple Strudel
Serves 6
Time 1 hour, plus 4-5 hours for thawing phyllo dough
Ingredients:
1¾ pounds Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch pieces
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 1½ teaspoons juice
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
Salt
3 tablespoons golden raisins
1½ tablespoons panko bread crumbs
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar, plus extra for serving
14 (14 by 9-inch) phyllo sheets, thawed
Before you begin: Gala apples can be substituted for Golden Delicious. Phyllo dough is also available in larger 18 by 14-inch sheets; if using, cut them in half to make 14 by 9-inch sheets. Thaw phyllo in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for 4 to 5 hours; don’t thaw it in the microwave.
Directions:
1. Toss apples, granulated sugar, lemon zest and juice, cinnamon, ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon salt together in large bowl. Cover and microwave until apples are warm to touch, about 2 minutes, stirring once halfway through microwaving. Let apples stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Transfer apples to colander set in second large bowl and let drain, reserving liquid. Return apples to bowl; stir in raisins and panko.
2. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray rimmed baking sheet with vegetable oil spray. Stir 1/8 teaspoon salt into melted butter.
3. Place 16½ by 12-inch sheet of parchment paper on counter with long side parallel to edge of counter. Place 1 phyllo sheet on parchment with long side parallel to edge of counter. Place 1½ teaspoons confectioners’ sugar in fine-mesh strainer (rest strainer in bowl to prevent making mess). Lightly brush sheet with melted butter and dust sparingly with confectioners’ sugar. Repeat with 6 more phyllo sheets, melted butter, and confectioners’ sugar, stacking sheets one on top of other as you go.
4. Arrange half of apple mixture in 2½ by 10-inch rectangle 2 inches from bottom of phyllo and about 2 inches from each side. Using parchment, fold sides of phyllo over filling, then fold bottom edge of phyllo over filling. Brush folded portions of phyllo with reserved apple liquid. Fold top edge over filling, making sure top and bottom edges overlap by about 1 inch. (If they do not overlap, unfold, rearrange filling into slightly narrower strip, and refold.) Press firmly to seal. Using thin metal spatula, transfer strudel to 1 side of prepared baking sheet, facing seam toward center of sheet. Lightly brush top and sides of strudel with half of remaining apple liquid. Repeat process with remaining phyllo, melted butter, confectioners’ sugar, filling, and apple liquid. Place second strudel on other side of prepared sheet, with seam facing center of sheet.
5. Bake strudels until golden brown, 27 to 35 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Using thin metal spatula, immediately transfer strudels to cutting board. Let cool for 3 minutes. Slice each strudel into thirds and let cool for at least 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, dusting with extra confectioners’ sugar before serving.
Recipes provided by America’s Test Kitchen; used with permission.
You can watch past episodes of America's Test Kitchen on WSKG Passport.
For more information about WSKG Passport, please visit our support page.
To see other recipes from America's Test Kitchen and other shows, visit Cooking with WSKG.