Our travelers tell me that one of the best things about our European River Cruise vacations is the authentic, delicious meals they’ve enjoyed aboard our ship. You’ll have the chance to sample savory dishes like Austrian Wiener Schnitzel, Hungarian chicken paprikash, and more.
You’re not only able to eat these traditional treats, but you can also learn how to make them during one of our cooking demonstrations—where chefs create their regionally accented specialties. On our Great Rivers of Europe River Cruise, for example, our talented team of chefs can show you how to make Austrian Apfelstrudel—and you can find the recipe listed below.
The recipe cautions that the most important part about this sweet dessert is the pastry. You must make sure the dough is spread extremely thin (almost as thin as tissue paper!) before rolling.
Pastry
Ingredients:
1 1/4 cup flour
1 beaten egg
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup lukewarm water
1 tsp. cooking oil
Preparation:
- Mix the flour and salt together, creating a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
- Add the beaten egg and cooking oil and mix well. You can do this by hand or use a mixer.
- Still stirring, slowly add the water. Continue mixing until you form a soft dough (and it is no longer sticky).
- Form the dough into a ball, lightly brush the top with cooking oil, and cover it. Let the dough rest for about one hour.
Pastry Filling
Ingredients:
6 1/2 lbs sliced apples
3/4 cup coarse, white bread crumbs
1/2 cup melted, unsalted butter
3/4 cup coarsely crushed nuts
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. grated lemon peel
3/4 cup dark raisins
Rum, to taste
Preparation:
- Sauté the bread crumbs in 1/4 cup butter in a sauce pan over medium heat until they are brown.
- Combine the sliced apples, remainder of the butter, crushed nuts, sugar, cinnamon, lemon peel, raisins, rum (to taste), and about half of the bread crumbs.
Assembling the Apfelstrudel:
- Cover your work surface with a clean cloth or towel. Sprinkle about 1/2 cup flour over the surface.
- Place the dough in the center of the cloth. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a large, thin rectangle.
- When the dough is as thin as you can make it with your rolling pin, you will begin to stretch the dough.
- With the palms of your hands facing down, reach your hands to the center of the dough (the dough will rest on the back of your hands) and lift it slightly. Be extremely careful that you don’t tear the dough.
- To stretch the dough, begin to gently pull your arms in opposite directions.
- Pull the dough until it is approximately 3 1/2 feet by 2 1/2 feet. Once the dough is the correct size (it should resemble a thin, tissue paper), cut off the thick, outer edges of the dough with scissors.
- Allow it to rest for about ten minutes on your table surface.
- Preheat your oven to 375º to 400ºF.
- Spread the apple mixture and drizzle the remaining butter on top of the dough, leaving about a half inch of dough at the edges.
- Using the cloth or towel to help lift the dough (dough will be too thin to roll with your hands), roll the strudel just as you would a jelly roll.
- Place the dough (seam side down) in a horseshoe shape on a sheet pan that is lined with parchment paper.
- Brush the top of the dough with an egg wash mixture (made by mixing together one egg yolk and either water or milk).
- Place the strudel in the oven for approximately 45 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let cool.
- Sprinkle powdered sugar on the top of the strudel and serve warm with vanilla sauce (or with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream).
Servings: Serves about 16 people
Learn how to make authentic Austrian Apfelstrudel during a cooking demonstration on our Great Rivers of Europe River Cruise.