Classic Apple Strudel

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the dough

   Combine the flour and salt in a bowl, then pour in the warm water, 2 tablespoons oil, and vinegar. Stir with a wooden spoon until it comes together into a shaggy mass. It should feel soft and slightly tacky but not wet enough to stick to your palms; add water a teaspoon at a time if it looks dry and crumbly.

2. 2

   Knead until elastic

   Turn the dough onto an unfloured counter and knead hard for a full 10 minutes. Every minute or so, pick it up and slap it down against the counter a few times. This sounds dramatic but it's the whole secret: it lines up the gluten so the dough will stretch instead of tear. You're done when it's glossy, smooth, and springs back immediately when poked.

3. 3

   Rest the dough

   Shape the dough into a ball and coat it all over with a thin film of oil. Set it on a plate, cover with an upturned bowl, and leave at room temperature for at least 1 hour. Don't skip or shorten this; a rested dough stretches to tissue thinness, an unrested one fights you and rips.

4. 4

   Toast the breadcrumbs

   Melt the 4 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat, add the breadcrumbs, and stir constantly for 4 to 5 minutes until they're evenly golden and smell nutty. Tip them onto a plate to cool. These crumbs sit between the dough and the apples and soak up the juices, which is what keeps the bottom of your strudel crisp.

5. 5

   Build the filling

   If using rum, warm it briefly and soak the raisins in it while the dough rests, then drain. Toss the sliced apples with the granulated sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest, lemon juice, drained raisins, and walnuts. Mix it just before you fill, not an hour ahead, or the sugar will pull out a pool of juice.

6. 6

   Stretch the dough

   Heat the oven to 375°F. Spread a clean cotton tablecloth or large tea towel over your table and dust it lightly with flour. Roll the dough out to a rough rectangle, then slide your floured hands, palms down and knuckles up, underneath it and gently pull from the center outward, rotating as you go. Keep going until the sheet is about 24 by 16 inches and thin enough to see the pattern of the cloth through it. Trim away the thick rim of edges with scissors.

7. 7

   Fill and roll

   Brush the whole sheet with about two-thirds of the melted butter. Scatter the toasted crumbs over the third of the dough nearest you, leaving a 2-inch border on all sides, then pile the apple mixture on top of the crumbs with a slotted spoon, leaving any liquid behind in the bowl. Fold the two side borders inward over the filling, then lift the edge of the cloth and let it roll the strudel away from you into a tight log.

8. 8

   Bake

   Roll the strudel seam side down onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, curving it gently if it's too long to fit. Brush generously with the remaining melted butter and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, brushing once more with any butter from the pan at the 25-minute mark, until deeply golden and crackly. A skewer slid into a seam should meet tender apple with no resistance.

9. 9

   Rest and serve

   Let the strudel sit for at least 20 minutes before cutting, otherwise the filling slumps out. Dust heavily with powdered sugar and cut into thick diagonal slices with a serrated knife, using a sawing motion so you don't crush the layers. Best warm, with cold whipped cream or vanilla sauce.

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Baker's Tips

• 1.

  Use firm, tart apples like Granny Smith, Braeburn, or Bramley. Soft varieties such as McIntosh collapse into applesauce and flood the pastry.

• 2.

  Slice the apples about 1/8 inch thick. Chunks won't cook through in the time the pastry takes to brown.

• 3.

  Bread flour works beautifully here and stretches even more willingly than all-purpose, thanks to its higher protein.

• 4.

  A few small tears while stretching are normal and will seal themselves once rolled. A large hole can be patched with a scrap from the trimmed edges.

• 5.

  Work fast once the dough is stretched. Thin sheets dry out and turn brittle within minutes, so have your filling ready and your butter melted before you start pulling.

• 6.

  Strudel is at its best within a few hours of baking. If you want it ahead, assemble the unbaked log, freeze it solid, and bake straight from frozen with 10 extra minutes.

Equipment

• Large mixing bowl
• Clean cotton tablecloth or large tea towel
• Rolling pin
• Skillet
• Pastry brush
• Rimmed baking sheet
• Parchment paper
• Kitchen scissors
• Serrated knife

Storage