Making Apple Strudel with Phyllo Dough is perfect for small gatherings where a full-size strudel is too much. Many apple strudel recipes are too big for a family dinner or small party. This recipe, even though small, is enough for 9-people to have two small slices each. It is easy to cut this recipe in half to make a smaller batch, however, there are 10-pieces of phyllo in a package, and I love leftover apple strudel for breakfast!
Strudel dough is paper-thin and when stretched out over a large surface, it’s amazing just how thin it can be. Once rolled into a cylinder shape it has a dozen layers that are light, tender, and flaky. When I was in the hotel industry, I worked for a German master pastry chef, and his strudel dough was the best I’ve ever tasted. Our work table in the hotel’s pastry kitchen was 20 feet long and 8 feet wide, and when we made apple strudel it took 4 pastry chefs, one at each corner of the dough to stretch it to completely cover the enormous table. It made a massive strudel, however, it was a busy hotel, so we served a lot of apple strudel.
Today I’m only making my apple strudel recipe for 4 people, so a 20-foot-long strudel isn’t necessary which is why I make this Apple Strudel with Phyllo Dough recipe. And although not quite the same, my apple strudel filling recipe is great in phyllo dough is readily available in the freezer section of your grocery store and is an excellent substitute for strudel dough.
Making apple strudel with phyllo dough can be a little tricky and the raw dough will dry out in a heartbeat. You have to work quickly with phyllo dough and keep it covered with a damp cloth as you work.
Here are some key points when making Apple Strudel using Phyllo Dough:
-Have the apple strudel filling recipe finished and ready to go before you start preparing the phyllo dough
-Have your work area 100% ready to go before you open the package of dough
-Open the dough package, unroll the dough and immediately cover with a damp cloth
-Carefully remove one sheet of dough, recover the standby dough with the damp cloth
-Brush the melted butter from the center to the edges so you don’t tear the dough
-Lay the next sheet of dough on top of the first, brush with butter
-Repeat until you have 5 layers
Here’s my Apple Strudel recipe:
Apple Strudel with Phyllo Dough
Ingredients
Filling
- 4 Golden Delicious Apples 1/4-inch slices. Can substitute Granny Smith apples
- 1/2 Cup Raisins Or Currants
- 1/4 Cup Dark Rum
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice Fresh
- 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter Melted
- 3/4 Cup Bread Crumbs
Phyllo Dough
- 10 Sheets Phyllo Dough Completely thawed
- 1 1/2 Cups Unsalted Butter Melted
Instructions
Filling Instructions
- Combine raisins, rum, lemon juice, and butter in a saucepan, heat just until it starts to bubble, turn off the heat and let cool.
- Combine all of the filling ingredients in a large bowl, and mix to combine.
Phyllo Dough Instructions
- Clean your area in preparation for the phyllo dough, you need space to do this.
- Open the dough package, and unroll the dough. Immediately cover the phyllo dough with a damp cloth.
- Place a large piece of parchment paper on your work surface. Carefully remove one sheet of dough and lay it on the parchment paper. Recover the unused dough
- Working quickly but carefully, brush the melted butter from the center to the edges so you don’t tear the dough.
- Lay the next sheet of dough on top of the first, brush with butter. Repeat until you have 5 layers.
- On the long side of the dough, lay a row of apple filling the thickness of a soda can along the entire length.
- Using the parchment paper, carefully roll the dough into a cylinder, brush the outside with butter.
- Before baking, slice the top of the dough halfway through, into serving-sized portions. If you try to slice it after it bakes the dough will crumble and ruin your presentation. Refrigerate well covered in plastic wrap until ready to bake.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake for 40-50 minutes rotating the pan every 15 minutes until the dough is a crisp golden brown.
To serve
- Sprinkle with confectioners sugar, serve with half-melted vanilla ice cream, and fresh berries.
Helen
Very good strudel. I was very happy with the phyllo dough alternative to regular strudel dough. Perfect for size strudel for my small family. 😄
Steven
Thank you for your comment, Helen. I love good strudel dough. However, like you I’m not feeding an army, so for a small apple strudel recipe, the phyllo dough is perfect. Bon appetit!
Genie Rhodes
Your printed recipe does not mention that the listed ingredients makes 2 rolls. The first time I made it I had left over apple filling. The second time I made it I used 10 sheets and 2 apples for just one roll. I liked the 10 sheet version per roll. It was thicker and I loved the extra layers of phyllo. It was perfect for my pallet.