Apple strudel

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Slices of Apfelstrudel

Apple strudel (Apfelstrudel) is a traditional Viennese strudel,[1] a popular pastry in Austria and in many countries in Europe that once belonged to the Austro-Hungarian empire (1867-1918).

Contents

[edit] History

A strudel is a type of sweet or savoury layered pastry with a filling inside, that gained popularity in the 18th century through the Habsburg Empire (1278-1780). Austrian cuisine was formed and influenced by the cuisines of many different peoples (Turkish, Swiss, Alsacian, French, Dutch, Italian, German, Bohemian-Moravian, Hungarian, Polish, Croatian, Slovenian, Slovakian, Serbian, and Jewish cuisines) during the many centuries of the Austrian Habsburg Empire's expansion.[2] Strudel is related to the Ottoman Empire's pastry baklava, and came to Austria via Turkish to Hungarian and than Hungarian to Austrian cuisine.[3] "Strudel," a German word, derives from the Middle High German word for "whirlpool" or "eddy".[4]

Strudel is most often associated with the Austrian cuisine, but is also a traditional pastry in the whole area formerly belonging to the Austro-Hungarian empire. In these countries, apple strudel is the most widely known kind of strudel.[5][6] Apple strudel is considered to be the national dish of Austria along with Wiener Schnitzel and Tafelspitz.[7] Apple strudel in Hungarian is called Almásrétes;[8] the word "Apfelstrudel" is German for strudel with apple.[8]

The oldest Strudel recipe is from 1696, a handwritten recipe at the Wiener Stadtbibliothek[9]

[edit] Pastry

Home made old fashioned Apfelstrudel in the oven, rolled up and filled with apple filling

Apple strudel consists of an oblong strudel pastry jacket with an apple filling inside.[10] The filling is made of grated apples,[8] sugar,[11] cinnamon, raisins, and bread crumbs.[1] A juicy apple strudel should be baked with good cooking apples that are tart, crisp, and aromatic. According to the famous chef Karl Gundel (1883 – 1956), for apple strudel, winesap apples are the best.[6]

The dough[12] consists of flour, oil (or butter) and salt.

The secret of apple strudel dough[13] preparation is in making the pastry very thin and elastic. Preparing of the original strudel dough is a difficult process that appears complex. The dough is kneaded by flogging often against a table top to align the starch molecules, rested, then rolled out on a big table,[14] so it should cover the whole table, and than stretched by hand on a floured tablecloth. It is best to use a rolling pin. The dough should be very thin, and holes are mended if any occurs. When the dough is finally stretched out, an old fashioned apple strudel dough is very large, and often may reach the size of a bedsheet[14]. A single layer should be so thin that one could read a newspaper through it.[8][15]

Apple juice can be added to the pastry dough instead of water, and the dough may be substituted using frozen phyllo dough. Vanilla and rum may be used to add flavour to the filling[6] and light flavoured olive, or other oil may be used instead for butter or lard. Other less usual ingredients may include zest, lemon juice, and nuts (preferably ground walnuts,[6] slivered almonds, or in Italy, in Trentino Alto Adige, pine nuts[8]).

Before baking, it is best to sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over the top coated with either butter or olive oil. The rolled-up and filled apple strudel is baked in a pan in the oven. The apple strudel is sliced and traditionally is served warm, often sprinkled with powdered sugar.[5]

[edit] Serving

Toppings of vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, custard, or vanilla sauce are popular in many countries (although the latter are strongly opposed by the Viennese and the Hungarians as well.[16] If the strudel is cooked right, you won't need any toppings.

Apple strudel can be accompanied by tea, coffee[8] or even champagne. Viennese café is a typical institution of Vienna that has a long tradition in Austria and plays an important role in Viennese culture and culinary tradition. The one of the most common treats in a Viennese coffeehouse is Apfelstrudel with coffee or tea.[16]

[edit] See also

Food portal

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Mürber Apfelstrudel
  2. ^ Austrian cuisine
  3. ^ Über die Türken kam der Strudel dann nach Ungarn. Über Ungarn kam dann der Strudel nach Wien und eroberte von hier aus schließlich die ganze Welt.
  4. ^ Oxford English Dictionary, second edition. 1989.
  5. ^ a b Gundel, Karoly (1992). Gundel's Hungarian cookbook. Budapest: Corvina. p. 127. ISBN 963-13-3600-X. OCLC 32227400. 
  6. ^ a b c d Gundel, Karoly (1992). Gundel's Hungarian cookbook. Budapest: Corvina. p. 128. ISBN 963-13-3600-X. OCLC 32227400. 
  7. ^ National dish
  8. ^ a b c d e f June Meyers Authentic Hungarian Heirloom Recipes Cookbook
  9. ^ im 1696 erschienenen „Koch-Puech“ (vgl. Maier-Bruck 1993), welches sich im Bestand der Wien-Bibliothek im Rathaus befindet
  10. ^ Recipie: Apple Strudel
  11. ^ Wiener-apfelstrudel
  12. ^ Apfelstrudel recipe
  13. ^ Strudel Dough, Pastry chef central
  14. ^ a b Real Homemade Strudel Dough
  15. ^ der Teig muss so dünn sein, dass die Köchin einen darunter liegenden Liebesbrief lesen kann oder der Wirt die Zeitung
  16. ^ a b Food and drinks in Viennese coffeehouse
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