With the onset of cold weather, more and more I want to while away the autumn evenings with a cup of cocoa or aromatic hot tea. In such cozy moments, there is nothing better than to wrap yourself in a checkered blanket and, breathing in the tart smell of cinnamon, enjoy a piece of fresh Austrian pie.
The story of one dish
Translated from German strudel - "funnel", "whirlwind". It was no coincidence that the dessert got its name, because for its preparation the dough is twisted into a roll, and the filling is put inside.
Austrian culinary specialists named it strudel in the 18th century, but the first recipe for a milk cream dessert was recorded in 1696 and is still stored in the library of Vienna. As for the true roots, scientists found them in Byzantium, although the most popular during the reign of the Habsburg dynasty. This explains the fact that the Austrian strudel won the love of most of the mainland population.
Unfortunately, history could not save for posterity the name of the first person who prepared such a wonderful dessert. Despite this, the importance of strudel is difficult to overestimate, because until recently in Austria the groom had the right to terminate the engagement if the strudel bride did not like him. Therefore, who knows, maybe it will not be superfluous for us to learn the secrets of its preparation?
3 curious facts
Interesting information about the main symbol of his country was shared by Rainer Schobin, a native of the Austrian town of Leoben, a cook and consultant of the capital's restaurant.
1. Is puff pastry?
Under the pressure of a heavy rolling pin, the dumpling box very quickly turns into a smooth thin layer. Taking by the edges, the cook begins to stretch it in different directions. The dough expands and surprisingly does not tear, gradually turning into an almost transparent canvas. A couple of minutes and you're done! At first glance, it seems that only a virtuoso can do this. But Rainer says: for the fineness of the dough, only the highest grade flour with a high gluten content is needed, as well as dexterity ... though it comes with experience.
2. The secret of production.
Everyone knows that in order to cook an Austrian strudel with apples, you need to stock up on a simple set of products - flour, egg, water, butter, raisins, apples and, in some cases, rum. But to get an exhaust test will work for someone who knows some tricks. Knead the dough vigorously and for a long time, then give it a "rest" under the film, and preferably a heated bowl - at least half an hour. All tourists who visited the imperial house of Schönbrunn are told a legend about how the personal cook of the Habsburg dynasty ordered his subordinates to stretch the dough so thinly that he could read letters through it. Just look, what a painstaking job it is!
3. Eastern roots.
One version says that the Austrians adopted the recipe for exhaustionless yeast dough from the Turks. According to another, it was spied in Hungary, where, after a century and a half of dominion of the Ottoman Empire, oriental tastes reigned.
Debut exit
Interestingly, until 1815, few people knew about the existence of strudel outside the Austrian Empire. And at the congress, where diplomats and monarchs of Europe celebrated the victory over France, instead of traditional multi-tiered cakes, baked goods made of light dough folded into many layers decorated with whipped cream debuted. Everyone especially liked the way the Viennese dessert was served - a slice of fresh fruit, a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a cup of Melange coffee.
Today, the Austrian strudel, the recipe of which has more than a hundred variations, is prepared not only from apples. Now cherry, nut, cottage cheese and poppy seeds are considered to be a classic filling. Many even compare the preparation of dessert with the ability to dance the famous Viennese waltz: beautiful, easy, smooth, but not the first time. But nevertheless, many housewives managed to make friends with the capricious test. And even to derive additional benefit from it: excess dough, with a light movement of the knife turn into ... noodles! Desserts, of course, are good, but who will refuse a hearty home-made dinner?
Six Top Secrets
1. The right dough. Sometimes additional ingredients may be indicated in the recipe. Fat and egg are often added to Austrian strudel. We’ll talk about the first one a little later, but it is advisable to add the second product if you plan a juicy filling in the form of fresh cherries.
2. Good rolling dough. This is the key to an airy and gentle result. Before you start rolling a thin layer, make sure that your dough meets three parameters: silkiness, smoothness and elasticity.
3. Secret ingredients. In Austria, it is customary to add two products that make the taste of dessert unforgettable and incredibly refined. It is about walnuts and rum. Alcohol saturates the dough, and nuts add a twist.
4. Apples + sour cream. As we now know, Austrian strudel can be prepared from different berries and fruits. Sometimes even vegetables serve as filling. But not about that ... So that the apples do not turn out tough, dip them in a small amount of sour cream or whipped cream.
5. Olive oil. Before you send the semi-finished product to the oven, do not forget to grease its surface with cooking oil so that the crust turns out crispy and appetizing.
6. The finishing touch: topping. It happens that the finished dessert is served without decoration. To fully enjoy the taste, be sure to decorate a piece of the treat with ice cream, vanilla sauce or whipped cream. Do not deprive yourself of vivid gastronomic emotions!
Preparing the perfect foundation
To get a thin puff pastry, sift the flour (900 g) several times and collect it with a slide on the work surface. After making a small deepening, beat in the eggs (6 pcs.) And mix the first two ingredients thoroughly. Then, portionwise, add warm water (175 ml) and 3 pinches of salt. Knead the dough.
Mix vegetable oil (9 tbsp. L.) With apple cider vinegar (1/2 tsp.) And add to the resulting semi-finished product. Stir vigorously until the dough stops sticking to your hands, ideally they should stay clean. Cover with cling film and let it rest for about 40 minutes.
Apple strudel recipe
Based on the previously knitted dough (400 g), we move on to the most delicious part - preparing the filling. So, to prepare a classic Austrian strudel, take a kilogram of Golden apples, peel them, be sure to remove the core and cut into cubes. Squeeze the juice from one lemon on top so that they do not darken, losing their attractive appearance. Then sprinkle generously with sugar (190 g) and leave it as such for about half an hour. At the same time, pour raisins (100 g) with the juice of one orange and also set aside for 30 minutes.
A classic Austrian strudel cannot be imagined without a delicate dough. To do this, spread a clean towel on the work surface and do not forget to sprinkle it with flour. Start rolling out with a rolling pin, and then stretch the edges of the cake mix by hand, as shown earlier in the video. Put the filling of apples and raisins on the resulting layer in an even layer. Smear the free edges of the dough with olive oil. Roll the formation into a roll, as shown in the photo.
Before sending to the oven, be sure to grease the surface of the dessert, as well as the baking sheet with creamy cooking oil. Bake at a temperature of 180 ° C for no more than 30 minutes.
Plum Filling Recipe
In a small pan, lightly fry crackers (4 tbsp.) In melted butter (100 g). Next, add peeled plums (halved) and halved (700 g), sprinkle with sugar (100 g), add nuts with raisins (75 g each), and then put a teaspoon of cinnamon. Stir well and fry for 1-2 minutes over medium heat.
Put the warm filling on the pre-rolled dough. Remember to twist the edges so that the ingredients do not fall out during baking. Roll the dough into a roll, grease the surface with olive oil and put in the oven.
Chocolate strudel with pear
With the preparation of this dessert you will have to tinker a bit. But believe me, the result will be so amazing that I want to repeat it ... Yes, what I want! We'll have to repeat, because it is eaten in a matter of minutes.
So, how to make an Austrian chocolate and pear strudel? First, fry the almonds in a dry frying pan (150 g), and then chop it in a blender. Throw the canned pear (150 g) onto a sieve to get rid of the liquid - excess moisture in the filling is not needed. Eggs (4 pcs.) Divide into yolks and squirrels. Whisk the latter in a dry container until a firm foam. Then introduce granulated sugar (75 g) and resume the process. To prevent the proteins from losing their structure, put them in the refrigerator and proceed to the next step.
Transfer pieces of chocolate (100 g) into a small bowl. Put in a water bath. As soon as it melts and acquires a uniform texture, whisk it with butter (175 g). Then start introducing the yolks one at a time. Stir the mixture to a smooth, glossy texture. Add protein, pears, cinnamon and almonds. Shuffle.
Roll out the dough (400 g) in the same way as for other types of strudel. Put the chocolate-pear filling in a uniform strip and roll it into a roll. Bake for 30 minutes at a temperature not exceeding 180 ° C.
Cooking Vanilla Sauce
Austrian strudel cannot be imagined without topping. In no case should a classic Viennese dessert be served without a delicate sauce.
For cooking, pour milk (500 ml) into a stewpan, add vanilla sugar (1 tsp), mix and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and set aside. Whisk granulated sugar (to taste) with two yolks, pour in starch (2 tsp) and mix thoroughly, avoiding the formation of lumps. Now gradually pour milk into the yolk mass, without stopping the whipping process. Put the saucepan on low heat and cook until the sauce thickens.