Easy Apple Strudel with Homemade Phyllo Dough

There is nothing better than making homemade and here I have put together my favourite apple rustic phyllo recipe plus tips to make the perfect apple strudel!
This is an easy step-by-step guide on making phyllo dough from scratch, even flakier than puff pastries. These desserts start with paper-thin layers of dough that are brushed with fat and then stocked or rolled up to make many layers.
Phyllo dough is an essential part of my kitchen. Strudel is an Eastern European pastry that begins as a soft dough made of bread flour (strong flour), eggs, and water. After the dough is mixed well to develop the gluten, it is stretched by hand into a very paper-thin sheet.
Which flour is used to achieve perfect phyllo dough?
To make the perfect filo dough you need strong white bread flour. The high gluten (protein) content is an absolute must as it allows your phyllo to be stretched out thin and, when baked, crusty and crunchy!
Tip#1 Use strong white bread flour because of high gluten (protein). Gluten helps dough to be stretched out thin and when baked crusty and crunchy,
Ingredients for dough
450 g bread flour
250 ml water
5 g salt
2 eggs
30 g oil
Ingredients for filling
50 g melted butter
50 ml oil
1 cup bread crumbs
1 kg peeled and grated apples
1 jar cherry
1 cup sugar
4 tbsp cinnamon
Mixing the dough
Mix all ingredients into a smooth dough. To develop gluten well, mix at moderate speed for about 10 minutes, the dough will be very soft.
Tip#2 The more you knead the dough the more elasticity the dough gets so it will be much easier to stretch the dough.
Divide the dough into 4 parts. Place the pieces of dough on an oiled sheet pan. Oil the dough all over and cover it with plastic wrap.
Tip #3 make sure each ball is completely oiled. Oil helps the dough to relax and stay soft.
Tip# 4 Oil prevents the dough from drying out by keeping moisture locked in.
Let the dough rest for at least 1-2 hours at room temperature.
Tip #5 Resting allows the gluten in the dough to fully develop, giving it elasticity and structure.
It makes the dough easier to work with.
Stretching dough
Cover your table with a tablecloth (it will get some oil on it so use the one that is )
Dust the cloth with flour and rub it in lightly then place one piece of dough in the centre of the table and with a thin rolling pin roll it out roughly into an oval or circle. Gently roll the edge of the dough over your rolling pin and roll the dough around the rolling pin while gently pressing on your work surface. Do the same from each side and roll the dough until paper-thin. The thin rolling pin-oklava is a sturdy rolling pin perfect for making super paper-thin sheets of phyllo dough.
Also, you can stretch the dough with your hands. Put your hands under the dough with the backs of the hands up. Carefully begin to stretch the dough from the center outward using the backs of your hands. Not your fingers to avoid poking holes in the dough. Work your way around the dough gently stretching the dough little by little.
Keep stretching the dough until is paper thin and nearly transparent.
With a sharp knife cut off the heavy rim of dough around the edge and discard it.
Filling strudel
Sprinkle or brush the dough all over with melted butter.
Sprinkle breadcrumbs evenly over ½ of the dough.
Tip #6 Breadcrumbs will help to absorb any extra liquid from apples and cherries.
Take one-fourth of the grated apples arrange over ½ of the dough and add cherry over the apples.
Add sugar and cinnamon.
Grasp the edge of the cloth and lift it upward and forward to start the strudel rolling. Pitch the ends and cut the strudel in lengths or bend to fit on a greased pan. I am using a pan size 17x12 inch.
Do the same with the rest of the dough.
Brush the top with the butter and bake at 375 F (190 C) until browned about 45-50 minutes.
Cool down, dust with icing sugar, cut each strudel into 6 portions and serve.
Bon appetite!

[@davefoodstories]

Great recipe :)

[@sugarartistri]

Glad you like it