Apple Strudel D'Laven

 

 

 

Apple Strudel D'Laven

My kids have been pestering for me to make apple strudel, because last puasa month in October 2008, I did baked a few pieces of this mouth watering apple strudel for " buka puasa". In fact this delicious strudel you can hardly resist if you come across, but this are rather very rare and very difficult to get. Not even in the top bakery shop in town. Apple strudel is basically a German favorite dessert. This may be one the particular reason we can hardly have it in Malaysia. Only one or two 5 star hotel in Klang Valley which have this authentic gourmet strudel, I am not too sure about it. Unless you have a German family friend then you may be able to learn the secret and tip of making apple strudel.

I have been baking apple strudel for my own family many years ago, as part of our family week end activity. Especially, when we all start to get bored with what to do and eat on that Sunday. My love for gourmet food has also create that niche of taste to most member of our family. Lucky they have me, my passion for cooking and the liking to experiment on food of own creation and my 'air tangan' so with the buah tangan love by all, not only the family members but friends and relatives. Soon, my grandchildren will pester me to cook up something for them.
Actually, I am more than happy to cook any dishes which take into account the health benefit and not just those good tasting food because of the ingredients, such as full loads of fat, sugar and worst of are the food additives, preservative and fake enhancer.
You can rest assured, my recipes are void of this fake things, which are very bad for our health, cheating our palate and defy us from enjoying the real and original taste of a good food.
Okay, here we go for today, I am going to show how I make an authentic home cook gourmet strudel which I called " Apple Strudel D' Laven".

Ingredients:

• For Fillings
• 6 Red Fuji Apples
• 5 pcs of Cloves
• 1 Cup of Dried Raisin
• 1 Cup of dried chop lemon peel
• 1/2 cup of white dessicated coconut-not brown
• 1/2 cup of vegetable shortening
• 3 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 cup of brown sugar.

Dough

• 8 cups of white flour
• 1/2 cup lukewarm water
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbs sugar
• 1/2 tsp Yeast
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup of vegetable shortening
• 1 cup of low fat milk

(For making 2 pieces of Apple Strudel Loaf - 1 pounder)

Making the dough;

1. You need to make the dough at much earlier time, if you want your strudel to be served early in morning or during morning tea or as dessert during lunch time. You need to prepare your dough in the night before about 10.00pm. However if you wish to have it on the family dining table during afternoon tea of after diner dessert you may choose to make the dough same day early in the morning. Because we need a slow rise dough which will ensure, soft yet crispy and nice tasting strudel
2. In a small bowl of lukewarm water sprinkle the yeast and add in the sugar.Mix it well and let it rise for about 10 minutes.
3. In a large mixing bowl, put in the flour and baking powder and the salt, again mix well all this ingredients. Rub in the vegetable shortening or you may also use margerine into the above mix.
4. Add in the yeast and low fat milk into the mixing bowl - 2) & 3) above. Slowly mix it evenly while kneading it for about 6 to 7 minutes. Don't over kneads. Then keep the dough to rise for about an hour, cover it with clean wet towel or you may keep it in the fridge on the middle shelve.
5. By now the dough should have double in size. Divide the dough into 3 equal parts. On a clean table sprinkle some flour amd slowly knead each dough for about 2 to 3 minutes.Roll each of the dough into the size of about 16" by 10". Laced a thin film of shortening on each of the roll out dough. Placed the dough on top of each other and make a three folding and tuck in the both end inside. See Figure 1. Rub the dough with vegetable shortening and again keep in the fridge or cover with wet towel and let it rise overnight.

Figure

Preparing the fillings;

1. Peel off all the apple skin,coring the middle part and chop it in a thin slices. Put it in a pot add in the cloves and heat it while let it simmer until the apple is soft for about 15 minutes.Drain out the water and keep refrigerated. Figure 2

Figure 2

Back to the dough;

1. Switch on your oven - heat to 180 -200 centigrade.
2. Early in the morning, take out the dough from your fridge and keep at room temperature for about 1/2 an hour. Then only you start to work on it.
3. Divide the dough in 2 equal portion. Take one of the portion, while the other keep it cover under a wet towel.
4. Flatten the dough with a rolling pin into a flat rectangular shape of 16" by 10".
5. Brush the flat dough with olive or any vege oil, all over the surface.
6. Spread evenly, with 1/2 cup of brown sugar thinly over the dough sheet. Figure 3
   
   
   Figure 3
7. Now you can spread lavishly the apple, keep aside half of it for the next piece.
8. So with the dried raisin,chop lemon peel and sparingly sprinkle the white dessicated coconut.
9. After every thing inplace, slowly roll the it - like making swiss roll. Sealing the both end by tucking it inside.
10. Place it on a well grease baking pan. In a regular interval make several slits on top of the rolled up strudel. Brush the top and the side with olive oil. Sprinkle lavishly on top of it with the dried white dessicated coconut. Figure 4
11. Place it in the pre-heated oven and time it for 20 - 25 minutes.

Figure 4

That its!!

Enjoy the best Apple Strudel D'Laven

(Do the same with the remaining dough)