Autumn without apple strudel would be like spring without the rain, summer without the sunshine or movies without popcorn. Autumn harvest in Bosnia/Balkan region usually brings a bounty of different kind of apples. Mostly every backyard has some type of a fruit tree, be it a plum, pear, apple or a quince tree. Of course that bounty of different kinds of fruit needs to be preserved in some way or used for delicious desserts. I vividly remember my mom and grandmother making jams, juices and baking in the fall. Nothing was allowed to go to waste.
Now what does Bosnia and Vienna Apple Strudel have in common? For about 40 years at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century Bosnia was under Austria-Hungary Empire rule, which resulted in mixing of cultures and of course influences on Bosnian cuisine (which before reflected mainly Turkish/Ottoman and Eastern influences).
Apple strudel in Bosnia is also known as ‘apple pita’ and can be made in a few different ways. Usually it is made out of paper thin phyllo dough with shredded or sliced apple filling and with addition of sugar, cinnamon, walnuts, almonds, raisins, etc.
Here is one really great recipe for Vienna Apple Strudel. This strudel can be served by itself with a nice cup of coffee or also paired up with vanilla sauce or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Classic Vienna Apple Strudel
Serving 8-10
Strudel Dough:
- 150 ml (1/2 cup + 2 TBSP)warm milk
- 250 g (2 cups) all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 2 TBSP oil
- 1 TBSP white wine
- a pinch of salt
+
oil for brushing and
flour for kneading
Filling:
- 60 g (2.1 oz) bread crumbs
- 50 g (1/4 cup) sugar
- 50 g (1.8 oz )butter
- 50 g (1.8 oz) sliced almonds
- 1 lemon (juice)
- 600 g (1 lb 5 oz) apples
- 100 g (1/2 cup) sugar
- 40 ml (3 TBSP) dark rum
- 50 g (1.8 oz) raisins
- 1/2 TSP cinnamon
+
50 g (1.8 oz) melted butter for brushing
powdered sugar for sprinkling
Preparation:
- In a mixer bowl with the spiral hooks add flour, egg, oil, white wine and a pinch of salt. Start mixing slowly adding warm milk. Mix for a few minutes until smooth dough forms. Sprinkle some flour right into the bowl and knead the dough by hand few times and form it into a ball. Place the dough into an oil coated bowl. Make sure the dough is well coated with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let it rest at a warm place for about two hours.
- While the dough is resting prepare bread crumbs and almonds for the filling. In a pan melt the butter on a low temperature. Mix bread crumbs and sugar and add it to the butter and let it brown just very lightly (2-3 minutes). Let it cool. Roast the sliced almonds on a low temperature in the pan until fragrant and just starting to brown.
- Squeeze the lemon and put the lemon juice into a bowl. Peel the apples, core them and quarter them. Slice into very thin slices. As you slice them, brush some lemon juice over them so they don’t get brown. When done slicing, add all the remaining lemon juice to the apples, add sugar, rum, raisins, cinnamon and almonds. Toss it lightly and set aside.
- Melt the rest of the butter and keep it handy. Prepare a clean, large kitchen towel where you will stretch the dough. Dust the towel with some flour. (I’ve used a 16 X 26 inch/ 40 X 66 cm towel). Now take the dough out of the bowl and place it onto a floured surface (not towel) and roll it a bit with a rolling pin. Transfer it to the kitchen towel and start stretching by placing your hands underneath the dough and pulling from the middle to the sides. When the dough is nice and thin, cut of the thick edges. Brush the dough with melted butter. Spread the bread crumbs over the dough leaving a 2 inch (5 cm) edge all around. Spread the apple filling on the top of the bread crumbs.
- This is how to roll the strudel. Flap the 2 short and 1 long edge over the filling. Taking the kitchen towel by the longer flapped edge, roll up the strudel. Still holding the towel transfer strudel to the baking sheet. Bake at 400 F (200 C) for about 20-25 minutes in the lower portion of the oven. Serve warm sprinkled with powdered sugar. If desired you can also add a side of vanilla sauce or vanilla ice cream to it.
Bon Appétit!
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
bakingwithsibella.com 
Sibella, once again it’s amazing!
Thanks so much Sara! I had a lot of fun making this one! 🙂
This looks fantastic! I always wanted to learn how to make strudel. I think I will try your recipe.
Thanks so much! You will love this strudel! I think it is super delicious! Thanks for visiting! 🙂
Sibella
wow, that looks amazing! i would have that with a cup of coffee and a side of ice cream. 😉
Thank you! 🙂 This is exactly how I like it – with a cup of coffee/cappuccino and a scoop of vanilla ice cream! 😀
Beautiful! Beautiful images, beautiful pastry. Making strudel dough is one of those intimidating skills of baking I have never mastered
Thank you Darryl! It’s really not that hard at all, its just time consuming, but then results are amazingly delicious! 🙂
sounds and looks delicious! I will give it a try 🙂
Thank you! I am sure you will like it a lot! Thanks for visiting!
Sibella
Yum! Yum! Love your photos!
Thanks so much! I am in the autumn mood! 🙂
For me, it’s apple pie that signifies autumn… but after seeing this, I might have to change things up! I definitely need to make this! It looks gorgeous Sibella – the photos are beautiful!!
Hi Korena and thank you! I am sure this strudel will look gorgeous in your creation! You will love the taste and the texture! 🙂
Your strudel is a true work of art. It isprettier than anything I’ve seen in Germany or Austria on our trip so far.
Awww Karen I really appreciate your kindness! You just made my day! 🙂 Enjoy the rest of your trip and I am so looking forward to your new posts!
I truly meant it…your strudel is beautiful.
I know you did and I thank you! 🙂
Sibella, you’re amazing! Everything you make is looks so delicious and gorgeous. Love the photos with the apples and leaves; very pretty. 🙂
April, there is a big smile on my face as I am reading your comment! Thanks so much my friend! 🙂 I hope your move goes well and please keep us posted! ❤
Sibella
Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful……that’s all I can say. And I hate myself for not being your next door neighbour 😦
Thank you Munira! To have you as my next door neighbor would be lovely! We could take kids to school together, take photos along the way, paint together and have afternoon coffee/tea with some apple strudels and such… 😉
Thank you for helping me imagine that I am in Autumn in a beautiful cozy place. Your photos are just gorgeous and I loved hearing a little bit of the history. I wonder why they call it the apple pita? I can just imagine how flaky and wonderful the crust is with the crisp, sweet and tartness of the apples and the spices. However, in order to give it the fullest test I best come over and try a slice myself. Oh how I miss the blue skies of Michigan and the crisp fall air and the crunch of the leaves under my feet. Happy Autumn to you Sibella! BAM
Thank you Bobbi! In Bosnia pita is a general name for all phyllo dough pastries no matter what the filling is.
Next time you come to Michigan I will make apple strudel for you and pretzels for your boys! 🙂 Love to you friend and happy Fall as well! ❤
Sibella, that would be a very memorable reunion. However, all joking set aside I will give you a ring before I visit Michigan next as I would love to see you. Take Care, BAM
I would love that! Have a great weekend Bobbi! 🙂
You said strudel and coffee and then their was the first photo…
I just started crying…
I couldn’t even make it through the whole post…
it just looks too good…
and I am way too hungry…
Oh thanks so much! If you were any closer I would bring a plate over… 🙂
🙂
I love apples and apple pie is my go to dessert in the fall. It seems I have been missing out on this beautiful creation. I have never made or tasted a strudel before!
Sawsan, maybe this is your chance to try! 😀
Wow, Sibella, everything here is just luscious.. the photography, ingredients, the beautiful apple strudel and your story behind the history of your baking is fascinating. My favorite photo is the second last one where you have a little bright yellow leaf contrasting the strudel and the apples.. just heavenly!! xx Smidge
Thank you dear Barb! 🙂 I really enjoyed baking this strudel. As I was waiting for dough to rest I was painting my Artist Trading Cards. So I went back and forth – baking – painting – baking – painting – taking photos. I had so much fun and luckily everything turned out to be really good. 🙂 ❤
Now that would be perfect day in my books!!
I will be pinning this one, Sibella. Wine and rum! Even the bread crumbs in the filling is calling to me. Lovely photos, too.
Thank you Kathleen! Bread crumbs are used to soak up juice from apples, so strudel doesn’t get soggy, but they add to the flavor as well.
Absolutely lovely! I’m so delighted to have found your blog… via Nick over at Frugal Feeding. 🙂
Thank you so much and welcome! 🙂 Looking forward to reading your blog as well.
This looks amazing! Very impressed that you make your own strudel dough.
Oh, thank you so much! 😀 Strudel dough requires some time and a lot of practice and then you can stretch it with your eyes closed. 😉
Thanks for visiting!
Sibella
this looks incredible!!!! ahhhhhh i would so love to cut into that right now!! 🙂
loving your blog by the way 🙂
I absolutely love Apfelstrudel! It’s so comforting at this time of the year!
I agree! I am thinking of making it again this weekend. 🙂
Wow! Well-done! Impressed!
Thanks! 😀
Thank you! 🙂