Festive Strudel Recipes

OKTOBERFEST STRUDELS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°. In a large skillet, heat butter over medium heat. Add bratwurst and onion; cook and stir until onion is tender, 8-10 minutes. Stir in sauerkraut; cool slightly., In a small bowl, mix sour cream, mustard and 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds. Unfold one sheet of puff pastry. Spread with 1/3 cup sour cream mixture to within 1/2 in. of edges. Spoon 2-1/2 cups sausage mixture down center of pastry; sprinkle with 1/2 cup each Muenster and cheddar cheeses., Lightly brush edges of pastry with water; bring edges together, pinching to seal. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet, seam side down; pinch ends and fold under. Repeat with remaining ingredients., Brush tops with water; sprinkle with remaining caraway seeds. Cut slits in pastry. Bake until golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST STRUDELS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat.
• Stir in the flour, then slowly whisk in the milk.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened.
• Add the cheddar, salt and pepper and stir until the cheese melts.
• Chill until needed.
• In a large, non-stick skillet, scramble the eggs with the ham, parsley, chives and thyme, until just firm but still moist.
• Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
• Add the egg mixture to the cheese sauce and mix well.
• Taste and adjust seasonings.
• Melt the remaining butter.
• Keep the unused phyllo under a damp towel until needed.
• Brush 1 sheet of phyllo lightly with melted butter and fold in half, long edges together.
• Brush with butter.
• Spoon 1/8 of the egg mixture onto one short end of the phyllo, leaving a 1" border around the filling.
• Sprinkle 1 slightly rounded teaspoon of the Parmesan on the egg mixture.
• Roll up as a jelly roll, tucking in the sides of the phyllo to completely enclose the egg mixture. Do not roll too tightly or the phyllo will split during baking.
• Place the strudel seam side down on a greased baking sheet and brush the top with butter.
• Repeat, making 7 more strudels.
• Bake in the centre of a preheated 375 degree F oven until puffed and golden, about 13 to 16 minutes.
• Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

STRUDEL DOUGH

Steps:

• Stir the flour and salt together in a bowl of an electric mixer.
• Beat the egg and oil together with a fork in a 1-cup liquid measuring cup. Add enough warm water to make 2/3 cup.
• Use a rubber spatula to mix the liquid into the flour; make sure no flour remains on the side of the bowl and clean off the spatula.
• Attach the dough hook to an electric mixer and mix the dough on low speed until it begins to hold together, about 5 minutes. Increase the speed a couple of notches to just below medium and mix until the dough is smooth and elastic, another 5 minutes.
• Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 1 minute. Coat a small bowl with a very thin layer of oil and invert the dough into it; turn the dough over so that the top is oiled, and directly cover the surface of the dough with plastic wrap. Let rest for at least one hour or up to overnight.

CHRISTMAS PUDDING STRUDEL

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Mix the pudding, mascarpone and Baileys. Lay out a sheet of filo on a large flat baking tray, brush with some melted butter and lay another sheet on top. Repeat with more butter and filo until you have 4 layers.
• Place the filling in a log in the centre and brush the border with butter. Roll up to enclose the filling, then brush with the remaining butter. Can be chilled for 1 day until ready to bake. Bake for 20-25 mins until golden brown, dust with icing sugar and serve warm with cream or custard.

CHRISTMAS APPLE STRUDEL

Steps:

• Have ready a 24-by-24-inch sheet of clear plastic or two pieces of parchment. Generously butter a large baking pan. Sprinkle with flour, and tap out the excess; set aside. Place flour, 8 tablespoons butter, 3 eggs, salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1 tablespoon water in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until dough comes together. Divide dough in half equally, flatten into two disks, and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours or overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place bread in the clean bowl of a food processor; pulse until crumbly; set aside. Melt 10 tablespoons butter in a large skillet set over medium-low heat. Add pine nuts and breadcrumbs, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant and golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes; set aside.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sliced apples and remaining sugar; cook, stirring frequently, until apples have softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat; transfer apples to a large bowl. Stir in the pine-nut mixture, lemon zest, and raisins, and set aside to cool, about 15 minutes.
• Place egg yolk in a small bowl, and stir to break it open; set aside. In a small skillet on low heat, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter; set aside. Spread the plastic sheet on a clean surface, and dust with flour. Remove dough from refrigerator, and place it in the center of the plastic sheet or on parchment. Roll out into a 20-inch diameter paper-thin circle. Brush the dough with melted butter. Spread half of the reserved apple mixture on the dough. Lift the front edge of the plastic up, and fold the dough over the apple mixture and away onto itself. Repeat folding procedure, ending with the raw edge on top. Gently lift edge, and brush with egg yolk and gently press to seal. Brush ends of dough with egg; fold up; seal. Repeat process with second piece of dough. Transfer to prepared baking pan. Brush surfaces with egg yolk. Using a wooden skewer, pierce the strudels all over.
• Transfer to oven; bake, rotating pan once halfway through, until golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven; transfer pan to wire rack to cool, about 45 minutes. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar; serve.