Hot Apple Strudel, Vienna for Beginners

Photos and text by Corey Amaro:

How to make apple strudel? Ask a Viennese to come to your house, and hopefully she brings the super duper 700 type flour otherwise forget about it. Merisi is Austrian, who lived in Rome, then in the States... she loves to cook, bake, and take photos. When Merisi came to visit she said, "I have only been to Lyon for a day, other than that I have never been to France."

I expected we would go sightseeing, driving around in search of quaint villages, take a million photos.... I never expected that she was going to come with 700 type flour and cook with ten thousand pounds of butter, literally never dipping her toe into the Mediterranean.

 

Merisi asked me, "If I liked to cook or bake?"

French Husband jumped in, "I like to eat! What are you making?"

I gave him a look that meant shhhhhhhhh. Then added, "You didn't come here to cook, nor bake for us..."

But before I could finish she handed me the flour.

Serious stuff. Most visitors come with gifts, but no one has ever brought me flour before.

I thought this was a joke. But I soon found out that I was in for gaining weight and might as well get used to it.

I opened a bottle of wine, handing her a glass and an apron.

 

 

"First you take a large bowl, add the flour, then crack an egg into the center," said Merisi as she stirred the egg into the flour, she added a sprinkle of water, and some olive oil, then said, "Do you mind peeling the apples?" Annie asked, "How many?" She pointed to the basket, "All of them."

Four and a half pounds worth.

While Merisi stirred in the egg, Annie leaned over to me and whispered, "Who is coming over, is there a party going on?"

"Just four little piglets, get peelin'!" I whispered back.

 

  

 

  

Merisi mixed the dough, then when it formed a ball she kneaded it, until it, "Blistered," she informed, "The dough, not your hands!" She laughed to herself as Annie and I peeled the apples. Then she put the two balls of dough back into a warm bowl, covered it tightly with a towel, then placed the bowl under the Provencal sun.

Soon there after I received a new title, "Gopher." Which meant: Corey "Go for this, Corey go for that, do you have a rolling pin? Do you have another bowl? Luckily, her wishes were easy to meet...

"Do you have dry bread crumbs?" 

"Do the French like baguettes? Does a dried baguette count? The French often have a dried baguette hanging around." I offered it to her.

Merisi took the dried baguette put it into the Cuisinart blending it into crumbs. Then she asked if I had a pound of butter.

"Annie!?" I screamed, "Forget piglets! We are going to be like this (I puffed up my cheeks and put my arms wide like I was carrying a large ball in front of my stomach,) Merisi middle name is Butter Ball!"

Merisi added a pinch of cinnamon, and two tiny teaspoons of sugar to the melted butter. I asked, "Why so stingy with the sugar? Hell we are gonna gain ten pounds anyway why not fifteen?" Merisi laughed, "Gotta cut calories somewhere."

When the bread crumbs were golden and caramelized she put them aside. I could have gobbled those down just like that. So she hid them!

 

Next she rolled the dough lightly.

Each time Merisi rolled the dough, she would then flip it over.

 

Eventually, she spun it like a pizza. Her days in Rome where showing up. It was impressive how thin the dough became.

Annie shook her head, "This is complicated, couldn't we just buy the dough?"

The Viennese woman growled at the French woman, and the America woman had to pull the two of them apart. Annie sighed, "I thought I ask, you know we have pretty good pre made dough in France. I think when you and I make this we can just buy the dough, okay?"

"We? Do you have a mouse in your pocket Annie? I am never making this, it is too complicated. We can just fly to Vienna."

"Oui? Oui what?" Annie questioned me.

I tell you so much is lost in translation.

When the Viennese woman wasn't looking I poked Annie and whispered we'll buy the dough.

Merisi told us the trick to spinning dough is to keep your hands in a fist and use your knuckles. She made it look so easy. 

 

Once the dough is as thin as it can be, lay it on a cloth (a bed sheet would work) and gently pull it thinner.

 

Next with a pastry brush cover the pastry dough with melted butter. Then add the caramelized bread crumbs.

 

Once the butter, and caramelized bread crumbs are down, then add a thick layer of apple slices and raisins. Roll the strudel pastry by picking up the dusted cloth and gently flipping it over. Repeat the apple layer then roll the strudel pastry over until you come to the last five or so inches... leaving this bit free of apples.

Put it in parchment paper on a baking sheet (with sides) and roll the strudel on to the baking sheet, tricky, delicate business I might add!

Bake.

Wait.

Drool.

When it is done, take it out, slice it, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve hot.

Oink-a-licious!!

 

Hot apple strudel by Merisi, Vienna for Beginners!

___________________

Note:

For the recipe please go to Merisi's blog which you can find by clicking here.

Tomorrow Merisi says we are baking Potato Strudel, then apricot dumplings...

Annie pulled me aside and asked, "Is she trying to kill us?"

I said, "No Annie, she wants us to say: "Ouiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii all the way home.""

Of course that was lost in translation.

Come to think of it Marie-Antoinette was from Austria, and you know what the French did to her! I got to remind Merisi that Annie and I were born in America in case she forgot.

Too bad for French Husband.

Comments

[Paulita]

Yum... How much of it did you eat? Can I still catch a plane and get there in time to eat some? I'll bring you some Amish butter to go with the flour.

[fitty]

goodilicious! what a fun post! I've been laughing out loud when I read this post Corey! hehehehehe..

[Karin]

I hear the apples on my tree calling to be wrapped up in delicious pastry. I will ignore them for now and be happy eating them straight off the tree...unless I take Annie's advice and buy the dough!

[Marie]

Did you mean bake on parchment paper, rather
than waxed? It looks delicious! Fun!

[Jenny N]

Ah, Merisi. I am so jealous, not only does she have a dreamy blog, she bakes deliciousness that leaps off the blog page. That kitchen of yours has certainly seen a lot of great visitors and awesome dishes.

[Cheryl ~ Casual Cottage Chic]

Excuse any drips and drools on this comment....so yummy ;-) The keys on my laptop are all messy and wet now....lol!

[Denise Moulun-Pasek]

Bravo Merisi, Corey and Annie. Wish I were there. Nothing better than getting creative with friends. I can just about smell it!

[Natalie Thiele]

Lucky you. Looks yummy. It would be fun to make with friends, but too much work for one person alone, I think.

[Sharon, Morrison Mercantile]

Oh...yummy. Wonder if I could make this...I might just have to try!!

[Wandering Chopsticks]

Gah! That looks so marvelous.

[mindi]

Merisi would you like to come to my house! That looks amazing, not for a beginner.

[Lucy Rogers]

I want that!

[Merisi]

@ Marie:
Yes, parchment paper, please.
Waxed paper makes a smelly mess, please do not use it here: Sweet juices are leaking out and add to the caramelization of the bottom crust and this creates temperatures that in my experience are too high for the waxed paper.

@ Corey:
You did such a fantastic job with this blog post!
Sorry that I kept falling asleep under the table while you typed and created. ;-)

[meral]

My back garden full of fallen apple.I was thinking what can I do. Thank you for recipies and lovely photo .It is give me to courage for try.I also like original home cooking style....

[Massilianana]

Oh Mon Dieu ! This looks so beautiful and so yummy !!! Ah la pâtisserie....

[Jackie]

I;ll be right over!
jackie
bliss farm antiques

[Wandering Star]

Mmmm! Yummaceous!

[Marie-Noëlle]

"for beginners" !?!?! I personally would not have even thought of "advanced", you meant "for EXPERTS" !!!!!
If I buy Annie a train or plane ticket, do you think she can come and peel my tons of apples in september ????
;)
My love to the 3 of you !!!
Bake care !!!

[Patricia]

Yum! How nice of her to make that for you. I have never had a guest offer to bake/cook for me when they come to my house!

[Carol L]

I completely understand where Merisi is coming from. I am also a baker and nothing makes me feel more alive, but also at the same time relaxed and contented than baking for others. It's a feeling that is hard to explain but I understand the love and drive you feel Merisi...I really do. Corey and Annie how lucky you are to be given such a gift from the heart. I wish my computer screen was "scratch and sniff" !

[Jo]

Oh, this posting takes me back in time. Growing up, so many of my friend's mothers were European "war-brides" and brought with them to the US so many recipes such as strudel and sacher torte, etc. During Christmas I would visit the kitchen of one mother who, like Merisi, also hailed from Vienna and taught us to make the buttery light pastry dough. Oui, oui, oui all the way home, indeed! Hahaha!

[andrea]

nice to read about this,, tks forgiving laugh and love in bloglife

[Bev]

I just wish that I could smell it baking. What a wonderful thing to have something so delicious baking in your home.

[kelleyn]

It looks delish! I am so amazed she was able to make her own phylo dough. I don't think I could ever to that. Next time don't forget to invite me -please!

[dede]

I'm crying, this looks so good!

[Karen]

I would not dream of trying this myself, but I'm with FH here - man, I would love to eat it! Corey, the photo of the bowl on the chair outside is absolutely stunning - this is definitely one to include in your book ...

[Rhonda P.]

Oh, some of your photos reminded me of my sweet Grandmother baking in her kitchen. She always made her own dough, not like me, who buys it already made.

Yes, look what they did to poor Marie Antoinette. Love the Sofia Coppola film!

[waftbycarol]

I used to have an Austrian neighbor who made the best bread . It was full of seeds - sesame , flax , sunflower . So good toasted , the best flavor ever !
the apple strudel looks magical ...

[Cheryl Ann]

Wow. YUM! Fun! Full sentences seem to escape me on this one.

[Debra P.]

Just to be in the room with you three incredible cooks . . .the smell, the conversation, the food, the wine . . . all in the south of France . . .le paradis sur terre!

[Ardi]

Ever since we were in the Czech Republic and had apricot dumplings in a restaurant in Hluboka, I have wanted to know how to make them. Ours came, snowy white floating on a "sea" of butter! Looking forward to tomorrow!!!

[Gail Sullivan]

Corey, you have the best, most interesting post. Love, love it.
xoxo

[Everton Terrace]

Please give Merisi my address and tell her she is welcome anytime! Now, why didn't I know Annie was born in America? I've been reading your blog for years and I missed this somehow. I thought it was Greece to France only. Oh dear.

[Penny]

Ah, or is it oui?

I just made Greek pastry the other day for a gathering here this weekend with rolls and rolls of phyllo, which I wouldn't dream of making myself, and pounds of nuts and tons of butter and I dearly wish I had Merisi and Annie and Corey here to help me; to fetch and help roll and to drink wine and tease and cajole and do what women do around the kitchen table.

Your wit is a balm on a hot, humid morning here in the midwest and your pictures, ah, your beautiful pictures transport me back to my family and its women and baking and loving.

Do you know how lucky you are to have these women in your life? You are as lucky as we are to have you in ours, Corey. Merci.

[Joanna]

This is such a wonderful post--everyone was cast perfectly!

I'll be right over for the potato something or the other.

[sue]

Big smiles--I came over from Merisi's blog. This SOOOO reminds me of my grandmother, who almost always had little flecks of powdered sugar or flour somewhere on her apron or cheeks. She was THE best chef/baker. Well done, Merisi! Looks delicious. Great photos to commemorate the event!

[Laurie SF]

Annie's sharpness sweetened with a sprinkle of Merisi. Baked to perfection by you, Corey. Delicious!

[Brother Mathew]

I want to know what Yann thought of the strudel. Come on. The one person in the story that can and will eat sans culpabilite'. You leave out his reaction to the end result? Sad

°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°

Hey Bro. Mathew
Yann has gained weight, does that tell you anything.
He didn't do the ten thousand dishes, pots and pans, nor did he peel an apple. So his tale got cut short.
But he ate his share and has the kilos to prove it.

C

[Chris Wittmann]

Oh this reminds me of my mom's German strudel! Can't wait to give it a try. Wish I had some now with a cup of coffee :)
You certainly have some talented friends and how wonderful that they love to come over and bake!

[Jennifer SleeperWhite]

Corey you have such a way of transporting all of your readers to that special place. I think we were all drooling by the END.

[Kristin]

Wish I was there!!!! I could happily eat all of it. Perhaps that is why I am on weight watchers!!! Does she have a weight watchers version!!!! Hahaha! Enjoy!

[Alan]

My Austrian grandmother used to buy strudel from the German bakery in her neighborhood, in Chicago, and bring it with her on visits. It was okay, just okay.

[Marilyn]

My mouth is watering. Can I come and gain 2 lbs. too? What a treat to have Merisi come a bake for you.

[annie vanderven]

Corey

Just found you, what a delight it is to read your blog, I did the opposite of you I am a french woman who moved to the states after marrying an american, this did not work out, now I am still in the states married to a dutchman!!!

After too many years here and trips to France, I feel I belong nowhere. Also had cancer few years back, but life goes on. Your way of seeing life gives me much pleasure. Thank you.

[Annie vanderven]

Oops forgot, I come from a very beautiful little town called Saumur on the Loire river and of course great wines!!!!

[parisbreakfast]

ummm....
I can make mini blueberry cupcakes?
Evidence here:
http://parisbreakfasts.blogspot.com/2010/07/cupcake-flow.html
My first and possibly last baking effort.
You better stick with Merisi and her many sticks of beurre...
maim-miam

[willow]

Fabulous shots. I am quite impressed, ladies. Oink-a-licious is right!