Cinnamon Kissed Apple and Goji Berry Strudel

Recipe From What's For Lunch, Honey?

~ Strudel dough recipe adapted from Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague by Rick Rodgers

Prep Time: Strudel dough: 2 hours (including resting time) + Filling: 30 minutes

Total Time: 3 hours

Ingredients:

For the strudel dough

• 200 g unbleached flour

• 1/8 tsp salt

• 105 ml water, plus more if required

• 30 ml vegetable oil, plus more for coating the dough

• 1/2 tsp cider vinegar

For the cinnamon apple goji berry filling

• 6 apples, cored, peeled and thinly sliced

• 120 g goji berries, rehydrated in warm water for about 5-8 minutes

• 160 g brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 150 g hazelnuts, very finely chopped

• 50 g hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

• 100 g butter, melted

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method:

1. To make the strudel dough, combine the flour and salt in a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the water, oil and vinegar in a measuring cup. Add the water-oil mixture to the flour with the mixer on low speed. You will get a soft dough. Make sure it is not too dry, add a little more water if necessary.

2. Take the dough out of the mixer. Change to the dough hook. Put the dough ball back in the mixer. Let the dough knead on medium until you get a soft dough ball with a somewhat rough surface.

3. Add Take the dough out of the mixer and continue kneading by hand on an unfloured work surface. Knead for about 8 to 10 minutes. Pick up the dough and throw it down hard onto your working surface occasionally. Shape the dough into a ball and transfer it to a plate. Oil the top of the dough ball lightly. Cover the ball tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to stand for 30-90 minutes - the longer the better.

4. It would be best if you have a work area that you can walk around on all sides like a 36 inch (90 cm) round table or a work surface of 23 x 38 inches (60 x 100 cm). Cover your working area with table cloth, dust it with flour and rub it into the fabric. Put your dough ball in the middle and roll it out as much as you can. Pick the dough up by holding it by an edge. This way the weight of the dough and gravity can help stretching it as it hangs. Using the back of your hands to gently stretch and pull the dough. You can use your forearms to support it.

5. The dough will become too large to hold. Put it on your work surface. Leave the thicker edge of the dough to hang over the edge of the table. Place your hands underneath the dough and stretch and pull the dough thinner using the backs of your hands.

6. Stretch and pull the dough until it’s about 2 feet (60 cm) wide and 3 feet (90 cm) long, it will be tissue-thin by this time. Cut away the thick dough around the edges with scissors. The dough is now ready to be filled.

7. To prepare the filling mix together apples, goji berries, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla extract together in a large bowl. Make sure everything is nicely coated.

8. Brush the strudel dough with some melted butter. Sprinkle the 150 g finely chopped hazelnuts about 8 cm from the short edge of the dough in a 15cm wide strip. Spread the strudel with a layer of apple-goji berry filling.

9. Fold the short end of the dough onto the filling. Lift the tablecloth at the short end of the dough so that the strudel rolls onto itself. Transfer the strudel to the prepared baking sheet by lifting it. Curve it into a horseshoe to fit. Tuck the ends under the strudel. Brush the top with the remaining melted butter and sprinkle with the 50g coarsely chopped hazelnuts.

10. Bake the strudel for about 30 minutes or until it is deep golden brown. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Use a serrated knife and serve either warm or at room temperature. It is best on the day it is baked.

Note: Use plenty of flour to roll the dough. Knead the dough for the full 8 to 10 minutes. This will develop all the gluten strands necessary to make the dough stretch easily.

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