Handmade South Tyrolean Strudel with Cinnamon and Vanilla Custard

La storia di questo piatto

In Alto Adige the strudel is a pastry of the mountain kitchen, where tender apples, cinnamon and a paper-thin dough have long meant home and a table set for the family. This artisanal version honours that gentle tradition, slice after slice, without ever pretending to be more than what it is: a sweet gesture of belonging.

Ingredienti

• 250 g Type 0 flour
• 120 ml Lukewarm water
• 40 ml Sunflower seed oil
• 5 g Fine salt
• 600 g Renetta apples
• 80 g Raisins
• 60 g Shelled walnuts
• 8 g Ground cinnamon
• 50 g Brown sugar
• 40 g Breadcrumbs
• 400 ml Whole milk
• 3 pieces Egg yolk
• 60 g Granulated sugar
• 5 ml Vanilla extract
• 20 g Cornstarch
• 65 g Clarified butter
• 0.5 pieces Lemon (juice and zest)
• 20 ml Rum (optional, to soak the raisins)

Preparazione

1. Pour the flour into a mound and make a well in the center. Add the water, sunflower oil and salt to the well. Work with your hands for 8-10 minutes, pulling from the edges toward the center; then slap the dough on the work surface for a few minutes until it becomes smooth, elastic and no longer sticks to your fingers. Form a ball, lightly oil it, cover with a cloth and let it rest for 30 minutes: the gluten relaxes and the dough can be stretched thin without tearing.
2. If desired, soak the raisins in the rum with a little lukewarm water for 15 minutes, then squeeze them dry. Peel the apples and cut them into small, even cubes; immediately sprinkle them with lemon juice to prevent browning. Combine them in a bowl with the raisins, broken walnuts, grated lemon zest, cinnamon and brown sugar, mixing well. In a small pan, melt 15 g of clarified butter and toast the breadcrumbs until golden; let them cool.
3. Spread the dough on a floured cloth with a rolling pin, then gently stretch it with the backs of your floured hands under the pastry, from the center outward, until it is as thin as a veil, almost translucent. If a hole forms, patch it with a small piece of pressed dough. Trim the thicker edges. Brush the entire sheet with 25 g of melted butter, then sprinkle with the toasted breadcrumbs: they absorb the apple juices and keep the pastry crisp.
4. Spread the filling over half of the pastry, leaving a two-finger border free. Fold the short sides over the filling and seal them with a thin layer of melted butter or water. Lift the cloth from the filling side and gently roll the strudel up on itself until it forms a compact roll, with the seam facing down.
5. Slide the strudel onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper, using the cloth to help, and curve it slightly into a crescent if necessary. Brush the entire surface with half of the remaining melted butter (about 12 g), reserving the rest for baking. Preheat the conventional oven to 190°C.
6. Bake at 190°C for the first 15 minutes, then lower to 170°C and bake for another 25-30 minutes, brushing with the remaining butter halfway through. Avoid opening the oven door during the first 15 minutes. It is ready when the surface is golden and crisp and the apples are tender when pierced with a skewer.
7. While the strudel bakes, heat the milk in a small saucepan without letting it boil (without vanilla). Meanwhile, whisk the 3 egg yolks with the granulated sugar until pale and frothy, almost straw-colored.
8. Dissolve the cornstarch in a little cold milk (taken from the 400 ml, to prevent lumps) and add it to the whisked yolks. Slowly pour in the hot milk while stirring constantly, then return everything to low heat, stirring without pause until it reaches the first bubbles (1-2 minutes), or use a double boiler for 8-10 minutes, until the custard coats the spoon and a clear line remains when a finger is drawn across the back. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
9. Take the strudel out of the oven and let it rest for ten minutes before slicing: this lets the juices settle and the slices won't crumble. Serve it warm, with a generous spoonful of warm vanilla custard poured alongside. Taste a small piece before serving to check that it is perfect.