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Sliced Apfelstrudel Altoatesino on a wooden board showing golden cracked crust and apple raisin filling, dusted with powdered sugar

Oven-Baked Apfelstrudel Altoatesino from South Tyrol

A South Tyrolean apple strudel with hand-stretched dough, rum raisins, and toasted breadcrumbs, oven-baked until the crust cracks golden.
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian (Northern Italy)
Calories: 266
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dough
  • 300 g all-purpose flour
  • 1 egg large
  • 120 ml lukewarm water
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil sunflower or vegetable
  • 1/4 tsp salt
Filling
  • 900 g tart apples peeled, cored, thinly sliced
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 70 g sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 60 g raisins
  • 2 tbsp dark rum or apple juice
  • 40 g breadcrumbs
  • 30 g butter for toasting breadcrumbs
  • 40 g walnuts or pine nuts chopped
Finishing
  • 40 g melted butter for brushing
  • powdered sugar for dusting

Method
 

Make the dough
  1. Whisk the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the egg, lukewarm water, and oil, then mix until a rough dough forms.
  2. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Shape into a ball, brush with a little oil, cover with a bowl, and rest for 30 minutes.
Build the filling
  1. Soak the raisins in the rum in a small bowl while the dough rests.
  2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, add the breadcrumbs, and toast for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring, until golden. Cool slightly.
  3. In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon. Drain the raisins and fold them in along with the toasted breadcrumbs and chopped nuts.
Stretch, fill, and bake
  1. Heat the oven to 180C / 350F and line the sheet pan with parchment.
  2. Lay a large floured linen cloth over your counter and roll the dough into a rough rectangle. Working with lightly oiled hands, stretch the dough from the center outward until it's thin enough to see the weave of the cloth through it, roughly 40 x 60 cm. If a spot tears, patch it with a scrap of dough pressed flat, it won't show once baked.
  3. Brush the stretched dough with melted butter. Spread the apple filling along one long edge, leaving a 5 cm border on the sides and far edge.
  4. Using the cloth to lift and guide, roll the strudel up around the filling. Tuck the ends under and transfer it, seam side down, onto the sheet pan.
  5. Brush the top with the remaining melted butter. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until deep golden brown and the crust looks cracked and dry.
  6. Cool on the pan for 15 minutes before dusting with powdered sugar, slicing, and serving warm.

Notes

  • Rest dough at least 30 minutes before stretching, cold or unrested dough tears.
  • Toast breadcrumbs in butter first, raw breadcrumbs leave the filling gritty.
  • Drain rum raisins well before mixing in, excess liquid makes the filling weep.
  • Bake seam-side down on the pan so it doesn't split open while baking.
  • Cool 15 minutes before slicing, the filling needs time to set.