While making your own dough is quite simple, having enough room and getting the technique exactly right can be a challenge. CSL has divided the dough to make it easier to roll and stretch. Phyllo dough is readily available at grocery stores and makes a fine substitution. Remember to brush each layer of phyllo with melted butter to ensure flaky pastry as store bought dough tends to be drier than homemade.
Serves 6
Strudel Dough
2 cups (500 ml) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon (2 ml) salt
2/3 cups (170 ml) warm water
1/8 cup (30 ml) olive oil or vegetable oil
Whisky Ice Cream
1¾ cup (430 ml) whole milk
4 egg yolks
½ cup (125 ml) sugar
¼ cup (60 ml) whiskey cream
2 tablespoons (30 ml) vanilla extract
Apple Strudel
1/3 cup (80 ml) golden raisins
3 tablespoons (45 ml) rum, optional
4 medium apples
1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground cinnamon
1/3 cup (80 ml) dulce de leche
¼ cup pistachios, chopped and toasted
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
6 tablespoon (90ml) unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup (60 ml) breadcrumbs
For the Dough: In a mixing bowl, add flour and salt. Form a well in the centre of the flour and add remaining ingredients a little at a time. Combine until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Knead dough until supple and elastic about 5 minutes and form into a ball. Lightly dust a work surface with flour.
Divide dough into four equal parts and use a rolling pin to roll dough ball to a thin, rectangular shape about 1 cm thick. Stretch each corner by hand until dough is 0.5 mm thick. Phyllo sheet may tear when stretched and should be covered with a damp cloth, plastic wrap or used immediately.
Repeat, rolling out remaining dough. Alternatively use a pasta machine to roll dough until thin and long. Set aside.
For the Ice Cream: In medium saucepan heat milk until just below simmering point. Remove from heat.
For custard, in medium mixing bowl whisk egg yolks, vanilla and sugar. Slowly whisk in the hot milk; return milk mixture to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with until custard thickens enough to coat back of a wooden spoon.
Strain through a sieve, combine with whiskey cream and cool.
Transfer custard to ice cream maker. Churn according to manufacturer instructions. Keep in mind that due to the alcohol, the ice cream may take longer to churn.
For the apple filling: Soak raisins in rum overnight, reserving the liquid. Omit this step if necessary. Peel, core apples and cut into medium size chunks. Combine with remaining ingredients including reserved rum. Set aside.
To assemble: Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Overlap sheets of phyllo dough into a rectangular shape on a lightly floured surface. Brush phyllo with melted butter. Pile apple filling lengthwise leaving a clean 2 inch (5 cm) edge on all sides. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Fold the short edges over filling. Roll away from you until filling is enclosed and the seam is on the bottom. Coil this log into a circle and transfer to a baking sheet or ovenproof baking dish. Brush with remaining melted butter.
Bake until golden brown, 35-40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Serve with ice cream drizzled with dulce de leche, if desired.
Toolkit
1/ Pantry Staple
For nearly every baking need. Robin Hood Unbleached All Purpose Flour, 2.5kg, $5.67; robinhood.ca
2/ For Added Creaminess
Sip on the rocks or add to morning coffee. Wayne Gretzky Whisky Cream, 750 ml, available at liquor stores; gretzkyestateswines.com
3/ For Added Flavour
Caramel, great as a dipping sauce or for cakes and pies. Eagle Brand Dulce De Leche Caramel Flavoured Sauce, 300ml, $2.97; eaglebrand.ca
4/ For The Very Last Drop
Made for awkward containers, cake tin edges and all those other hard to get to spots. OXO Good Grips Jar Spatula, $8.99; danescoinc.com
This original recipe first appeared in the Winter 2020/2021 issue of City Style and Living Magazine.
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