Feeling warm and cozy with flaky pastry filled with whiskey, cinnamon, apples, pecans and currants. # 321: Apple Strudel Wreath

I bought a small wreath for our front door for that pine-y Christmas tree smell, but this one wins all scent contests. Buttery pastry, apples and cinnamon? Can’t lose.

Strudel is an Austrian treat that was first written down as a recipe in the 17th century. The name means ‘swirl’ or ‘whirlpool’ in German, referencing the layers of thin pastry circling the filling. Traditionally you would make and stretch the pastry by hand, but the phyllo in the freezer winked at me and I couldn’t resist.

Phyllo comes from the Greek word for ‘leaf’ which feels apt for this thin crispy pastry. Biting into it causes the same satisfying sound and (pretty sure) endorphin rush of stomping into a big pile of crunchy leaves.

Still working my way through the apples from my parents’ backyard, phew! I’m down to a gallon bag left, what else should I make? Leaning towards McDonalds-style apple hand pies…

Most of the strudel recipes called for raisins, but I’m a currant girl. Less of the chewy raisin texture, but all of the flavor.

Butter painting time.

Strudel is traditionally baked in a straight baton shape and the pastry is so fragile it would rather rip than bend. In order to curl it into a wreath I had to double the length, overlapping the sheets about 4 inches so the seam would blend in.

Ready to roll.

Despite the extra dough, it was grumpy and cracked in three places when I shaped it into a wreath. Luckily, I know how to perform pastry surgery (glueing smaller pieces of phyllo dough to the ripped areas with more butter.)

Golden hour.

Quickly followed by a sugar snowstorm. Weather in this kitchen can be unpredictable.

Look at how crispy and golden the bottom is! *tears up*

Happy munching!

Recipe from: https://www.onceuponachef.com/recipes/apple-strudel.html