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Apfelstrudel ... Apple Strudel
From Dorothy McNett's recipes at www.dorothymcnett.com.
3 cups all purpose unbleached flour
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold
1 egg
2/3 cup warm water
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup raw sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
6 cups very thinly sliced peeled apples
3/4 cup gingersnap crumbs (or graham cracker)
1 egg white, whisked
powdered sugar for sprinkling
In batter bowl whisk together flour and salt. Cut in the 1/2 cup of cold butter until mixture is crumbly. Whisk the egg with the water and stir into the flour mixture. Turn onto lightly floured counter and knead about 5 minutes. Cut dough in half. Cover and let rest about 1 hour. Cover counter top or table with a clean cloth about 35-40 inches square. Sprinkle with flour. Roll one of the halves to about a 15 inch square. Brush entire surface with 2 tablespoons of the melted butter. Let stand 2-3 minutes. In meantime, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Peel and thinly slice the apples. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Starting from the middle of the square, carefully work underneath the dough using the backs of your hands to gently stretch from one corner to the next till dough is paper thin and is about 36 inches square. (It is a good idea to remove all of your rings from your fingers so that they won't "tear" the dough as you work!) Brush entire surface with 1/4 cup melted butter. Sprinkle lightly with crumbs. Trim edges of dough so that is is pretty squared off. Put half of the apple slices over the crumbs, but leave 6 inches free of apples on the edge that is closest to you. Sprinkle half of the sugar-cinnamon mixture over the apples. Gently fold the 6 inch section of dough over the filling. Slowly and evenly raise the cloth behind the filling, making it roll away from you into a tight roll. Seal ends. Place on parchment or silpat lined baking sheet. Curve slightly to form crescent. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Brush top of each strudel with the beaten egg white. Bake 45-50 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve slightly warm, or cool. It is not good to slice it when it is hot out of the oven.
Recipe created 2004-11-05.
