Apple-Cheddar Strudel Is the Perfect Baking Project to Tackle This Fall (2024)

This version of a classic apple strudel gives the filling a New England spin, pairing the apples with sharp cheddar, fresh sage, and toasted walnuts. We can’t think of a better way touse up a haul of apples orto fill a fall afternoon.

What Is Strudel?

The oldest known record of this storied pastry is a handwritten recipe from Vienna that dates to 1697 and can be found in a cookbook safely kept in the Vienna City Library in city hall. Strudel’s defining characteristic is its rolled layers of flaky crust created by gently stretching and pulling the dough tissue-paper thin.The classic pastry typically features cinnamon spiced apples and toasted bread crumbs.

Apple-Cheddar Strudel Ingredients

Pastry Dough: Strudel dough develops a superpower—elasticity. It stretches like pizza dough but feels like tender pie pastry. The thinner you stretch it, the flakier your strudel.

Apples: Sweet-tart apples such as Golden Delicious and Granny Smith are the varieties of choice for this strudel recipe.

Cheddar Cheese: For the best texture, choose a block of sharp cheddar cheese and shred it yourself.

Sage: If you can't find fresh sage for this strudel recipe, you can substitute fresh thyme.

Walnuts: Toasting the nuts first ensures they have the most flavor in the finished apple strudel.

Tips for Stretching Strudel Dough

• This is much easier if you have two people who can stretch the dough working on opposite ends as you gently stretch the dough.
• If the stretching is feeling difficult cover with plastic wrap and rest the dough for 10 minutes. Come back and continue stretching.
• Don't be frustrated if your dough is not meeting the final dimensions of 32x20 inches. It will still work if your length does not reach 32 inches; the final result will have a few fewer layers. (You want to aim to get at least 28 inches in length.)
• Avoid wearing rings on your hands when stretching strudel. This reduces the chance of getting holes in the dough.

How to Store Apple Strudel

To store the Apple-Cheddar Strudel, transfer leftover slices to an airtight storage container. Cover; chill up to 2 days. To re-crisp strudel, preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange slices on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes.

Strudel Dough

1. In a large bowl stir together 1 1/2 cups of the flour and 1/4 tsp. salt. Cut in 1/4 cup butter until pieces are the size of small peas. In a small bowl stir together water and egg yolk. Add egg yolk mixture to flour mixture. Stir until combined.

2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough 5 minutes, adding additional flour if dough is sticky. Avoid adding too much flour as it may make the dough stiff and tougher to stretch. Cover with plastic wrap; let rest at room temperature 1 hour.

3. 

   Cover a large surface (at least 4x3 feet) with a clean cloth or sheet. Lightly flour cloth. On the cloth, roll dough into a 13x9-inch rectangle. Brush with 2 Tbsp. of the melted butter. Cover dough with plastic wrap; let rest 30 minutes.

Apple-Cheddar Strudel

1. While strudel dough is resting, prepare apple filling. For filling, in a 10-inch skillet melt butter over medium. Add apples; cook and stir until apples are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; let stand until cool while stretching the strudel dough. Fold in cheese and sage.

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2. 

   Lightly oil the fronts and backs of your hands. First use your fingers to gently lift and stretch the edges.

3. 

   To continue stretching the dough, use the backs of your hands and work underneath dough. Starting from the center and working toward the edges, gently lift and pull your hands apart, stretching the dough. Continue pulling dough from the center toward outer edges, working to stretch dough evenly until it is translucent and paper-thin, forming a 32x20-inch rectangle.

4. 

   Drizzle remaining butter over dough; carefully use a pastry brush to evenly coat.

5. 

   Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 15x10-inch baking pan with parchment paper. To wrap and roll strudel, sprinkle nuts evenly over the buttered stretched dough to within 1 inch of the edges.

6. 

   Beginning 4 inches from one of the 20-inch sides of dough, spoon apple filling across the short side of the dough in a 4-inch wide log to within 1 inch of both long edges.

7. 

   Using the cloth beneath dough as a guide, gently lift 4-inch section of dough and lay it over filling. Slowly and evenly lift cloth and tightly roll up dough and filling. If needed, cut excess dough from ends to within 1 inch of the filling. Fold ends under to seal.

8. 

   Carefully transfer the strudel roll to the prepared baking pan. Curve the ends to form a crescent shape. Whisk together egg white and 1 Tbsp. water; brush over top of strudel. (If using phyllo dough, roll up and seal strudel but do not curve roll into a crescent shape. Fold in ends; brush with the 2 Tbsp. melted salted butter instead of egg mixture.)

9. Bake until golden, 40 to 45 minutes. (If using phyllo, bake 35 to 45 minutes.) Carefully remove strudel from pan. Cool on a wire rack 20 minutes. Using a serrated knife, slice off the ends that don't contain filling; discard. Slice remaining strudel into 2-inch portions. Serve warm.

Shortcut Phyllo Dough Strudel Variation

You can substitute frozen phyllo dough for the Strudel Dough in this recipe. Thaw 8 oz. (23 sheets) of frozen phyllo dough. Cover a large surface with a cloth.Unfold sheets of phyllo dough. Remove eight sheets, keeping the rest covered with plastic wrap. Arrange the eight sheets of phyllo on floured cloth, overlapping the sheets as necessary to form a rectangle about 32x20 inches. Brush this layer of phyllo with 1/4 cup the melted salted butter. Top with eight more sheets of phyllo dough, overlapping as necessary (but do not overlap in the same places where the bottom layer overlaps). Brush this layer with 1/4 cup additional salted butter. Make one more layer using the remaining seven sheets. Brush with an additional 1/4 cup melted salted butter.Fill and shape as directed in recipes.