German Apple Strudel (Apfelstrudel)

Instructions

TO MAKE THE STRUDEL DOUGH, measure the flour into a large bowl and make a well in the center of it. In a small bowl, beat the egg, salt, oil, and water until blended. Pour the liquids into the well in the flour and mix until a soft dough forms. Pick up the dough with one hand (coat your hand lightly with oil to prevent sticking) and slap the dough into the bowl or onto a lightly oiled surface about 100 times. (Or place the dough into an electric mixer with dough hook and beat at high speed for 10 minutes.) The dough will be sticky at first, but then will become elastic and will leave the board and hands clean. Divide the dough into 2 lightly oiled bowls and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes.

Cover a table with a smooth, plastic tablecloth and rub very lightly with an oil-soaked cloth. Dust one of the parts of dough lightly with flour and invert the bowl onto the plastic tablecloth-covered surface. Dust the top with flour. Pat the dough down as flat as possible, then with a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out to make a circle about 10 inches across. Working from the underside of the dough with palms up, gently and slowly stretch the dough until measure 30 inches each way and is paper thin. Brush the dough with 2 tablespoons of the melted butter. Using the plastic tablecloth really makes it so much easier.

MAKE THE FILLING. In a small bowl, mix the crumbs, 1/4 cup of the sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon. Sprinkle the dough evenly with 2 tablespoons of this mixture.

In a large bowl, mix the apples with the lemon juice, the remaining sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle the dough with half the apple mixture and half the raisins and the chopped walnuts, leaving about one-quarter of one end of the dough uncovered, and 6 inches from 2 OPPOSITE ENDS uncovered.

Lift the 2 OPPOSITE SIDES of unfilled edges up over the filling. Brush the fold edges with 1 tablespoon more of the melted butter. Starting from the FILLED EDGE of the dough, lift the plastic cloth so that the strudel will roll up, rolling toward the UNFILLED EDGE of the dough, forming a roll.

Place the roll on a buttered baking sheet with the seam side down. Brush the roll with 1 tablespoon more melted butter. REPEAT the stretching, filling and rolling procedure with the SECOND HALF of the dough and the remaining filling ingredients.

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. Dust with confectioners' sugar. Cut in slices to serve.

The Great Holiday Baking Book Beatrice Ojakangas

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