Apple and Fig Strudel

I’m not sure when I tasted my first apple strudel, but it probably was in the US and it probably had a high-fat dough…with a soggy bottom. I experienced my first Austrian-style strudel while working in a Zürich restaurant. We had an Austrian month and we invited some top chefs over to our kitchen to teach us the traditional preparations. What a revelation! I discovered real strudel dough in Austria contains little fat, is rolled very thin and has a delightful crisp and flaky texture. It reminded me of how an Italian pizza can be rolled up and baked, which of course turns into a Calzone. Austrian-style strudels are also typically a bit smaller in diameter than their German or Hungarian counterparts, which are also made with a dough that is like puff pastry.

Austrian-style strudels are normally coated with butter instead of oil, but I think the oil works better because it does not mask the other flavors and it tends to create a flakier exterior than one made with butter.

The recipe below is the classic preparation from what I learned…with the addition of green figs and that is only because I like to fiddle with recipes a bit. But actually, once you have the strudel dough down and get the basics of how to make a strudel, the filling can be anything – including savory items. So, I hope you also feel free to tinker a bit on your own…or give the classic preparation a go! You will be very satisfied.

Yield: 2 strudels or enough for about 10 servings