"Easy Baking"

Show 119

1789 Restaurant
1226 36th Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20007
Telephone: (202) 965-1789

Travis Olson - Pastry Chef

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Apple Strudel
(Yield 1 Strudel...about 3 servings)

Ingredients:
1)   Puff Pastry - rolled 1/8 inch thick...cut into strips 4 inches wide by 16 inches
       long (can be purchased but see below for a homemade recipe)
2)   2 oz. Apple Butter
3)   One or two Apples (choose firm cooking apples such as Fuji, Goldrush, or
       Granny Smith
4)   1 Egg - well beaten

Preparation:
1)   Preheat your oven to 400 degrees f.  If using a convection oven, preheat to
       350 degrees f.
2)   Peel the apples, then using an apple corer, cut cylinders of apple from the
       flesh of the apple (not the core),  Cut enough apple cylinders to make 15
       inches when they are set end to end.  Set aside.
3)   Place the strip of puff pastry on a parchment lined baking sheet.  Brush it
       with egg lengthwise along half of the strip of dough.
4)   Spoon or pipe the apple butter lengthwise down the center of the dough.
       Be conservative with the amount, or the apple butter will interfere with
       sealing the strudel shut before baking.
5)   Align the apple cylinders next to the apple butter over the egg washed side
       of the strip of dough.
6)   Now, carefully fold the un-egg washed side of the dough over the apples,
       aligning the two long cut edges of dough.  If the dough is too cold, it will
       crack, but if it has warmed up too much, you may want to chill it so it
       doesn't become sticky and unmanageable.  To seal the dough,  push down
       firmly with your fingertips along the length of the strudel.  You want to press
       right next to the cylinders of apple, not where the cut edges of dough meet.
       If you push on the cut edges, the pastry will not puff attractively.  Pinch the
       dough at both ends to seal also.  Be sure the pastry is still cool but pliable
       before the next step.
7)   Brush the strudel with egg wash.  Avoid getting egg on the parchment or
       on the cut edges of pastry.
8)   With a very sharp knife or razor, slash the pastry that covers the apples on
       the bias every inch along the length of the strudel.
9)   Put the strudel in the 400 degree f. oven for about 25 minutes, rotating the
       pan halfway through for even baking.  It may need more or less time,
       depending on your oven.  It is ready with the pastry is a deep golden brown.

The Puff Pastry
Ingredients:
1)   1 1/2 cups All Purpose FLour
2)   1 1/2 tsp. Salt
3)   12 oz. Cream Cheese - cut in 4 pieces
4)   8 oz. butter - cut in 1 inch cubes.

Preparation:
1)   Put the flour, salt and cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixter.  Mix
       on low for about 20 to 30 seconds to break up the cheese and coat it with
       flour.  Do not allow a dough to form yet.
2)   Add the cubed butter to the mixer.  Mix on low until a dough forms.  Don't
       be alarmed about lumps of butter remaining in the dough at this point.
3)   Turn the dough out onto a floured countertop and form it into a rectangle
       your hands.  Now roll it out to about 1/2 inch thick, maintaining the
       rectangular shape.  It's ok for the dough to be a little cracked and shaggy.
       Fold the dough into thirds.  Repeat the rolling and folding 2 more times.
       This dough doesn't need to rest between folds like classic puff pastry
       because there is very little water to make the dough tough or elastic.  After
       the last fold, the dough should be smooth and free from lumps of butter or
       cheese.
4)   When the dugh is folded the last time, wrap it in plastic and chill it for at
       least two hours or overnight.
5)   Now the dough may be rolled out and shaped as desired.