Today I want to teach you guys how to make an easy apple strudel with filo pastry. These little pastries are so, so simple to make and incredibly delicious. Let’s get into it.
What is Apple Strudel?
Apple strudel is a popular European dessert, usually made with a special dough that gets stretched super thin over a large surface with your fingertips, stuffed with apples, and then rolled into a large, multi-layered log. Once baked, the log is sliced into pieces and served warm with whipped cream or ice cream on top.
What is Filo Pastry?
Filo pastry (or phyllo pastry) is a paper thin pastry that is sold in sheets. You might recognize it as the pastry used to make the crispy layers of baklava or spinach turnovers. It is a bit difficult to make from scratch, so in order to keep this recipe “Easy,” we aren’t going to attempt that today. You should be able to find it quite easily at your local grocery store, in the frozen foods section.
Do I Need Any Special Equipment to make this Apple Strudel?
Not– at– all. Just your own two hands, a little bit of time, and your average basic kitchen supplies.
How This Recipe Came to Be
My mom has an old cookbook with a recipe for real apple strudel in it, where the women stretched the dough so thin that it covered the entire surface of a large table. I love that, and I want to do it– that’s the kind of story that makes me want to bake! So far, I just haven’t made the time for it, however– and since I love apple strudel, I decided that it would be worth trying to make them this way to start off.
These are miniature, single serving strudels, which I first made one day for a bunch of guests. I’m pleased to report that they were not only completely delicious, but completely enjoyed by my company. So, here I am, sharing the recipe with you! Also, I’ll be honest– I use my blog to find my own recipes sometimes, and I want to make sure that this one gets on here for personal future reference… These are a must-make-again kind of thing.
Easy Apple Strudel with Filo Pastry
Ingredients
- 6 cups apples peeled, cored, and chopped small
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup jam apricot, strawberry, raspberry, or apple butter
- 12 sheets pre-made filo pastry
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- Icing sugar for dusting
Instructions
-
Peel, core, and chop the apples.
-
In a large mixing bowl, combine the apples, flour, cinnamon, and jam; mix until well combined.
-
Melt the butter in a glass bowl or measuring cup, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
-
On a clean work surface, brush one sheet of filo pastry with butter. Fold in half to make a rectangle, then brush with butter again. Place a spoonful of apple filling onto the bottom section of the pastry, and fold in the long edges on either side of the filling. Loosely roll up the pastry until the apples are enclosed in a neat little log. Set onto your prepared parchment lined baking sheet. (Note: It's important not to roll the log too tight, as the filo pastry will burst open if there is no room for the filling to expand as it heats.)
-
Repeat with the other sheets of pastry. Place all of the prepared strudels onto parchment lined sheets, a few inches apart. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks.
-
Dust generously with icing sugar while the strudels are still warm. Serve warm with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream, if desired.
As always, if you make them, let me know in the comments! You can also tag your pictures on Instagram @naomicakesofficial– I would love to see your work!
–Naomi
P.S. If you love crispy buttery pastry layers, check out this recipe from back in the day of my personal favourite, Baked Mars Bars— An absolute treat!
USED IN THIS RECIPE:
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying sales.
