I made this strudel at a Knights of Columbus hall in Minnesota. The kitchen was humble so I decided to make a simplified strudel that could be assembled with a minimum of fuss. The end result is delicious and crackling with flaky phyllo. Slice, plate, and cover each portion almost completely in whipped cream. The more whipped cream the better!
Serves 6
4 apples
½ cup (125 mL) dark brown sugar
½ cup (125 mL) golden raisins
¼ cup (60 mL) dark rum
1 tsp (5 mL) grated lemon zest
½ tsp (2 mL) cinnamon
6 sheets phyllo pastry
½ cup (125 mL) unsalted butter, melted
2 tbsp (30 mL) icing sugar
Sweet Vanilla Whipped Cream (page 216)
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Peel and core the apples, then thinly slice them. In a large bowl, toss the apple slices with the brown sugar, raisins, rum, lemon zest, and cinnamon; set aside.
Place 1 sheet of phyllo pastry on a baking sheet. Cover remaining phyllo with a damp cloth. Brush the phyllo sheet with some melted butter. Layer the remaining sheets of phyllo on top, brushing each sheet with butter. About 2 inches (5 cm) from one long edge of pastry, spoon the apple mixture lengthwise along the pastry in a 3-inch (8 cm) wide strip, leaving a 2-inch (5 cm) border at each short end. Starting at the long edge nearest the filling, carefully fold the phyllo over the filling. Roll up the strudel jelly-roll style, folding in the edges as you roll. Roll up firmly but allow a little slack for expansion. Arrange the strudel in the middle of the baking sheet; brush it with butter. Bake until crisp and golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack or serving platter and cool slightly.
Just before serving, dust the strudel with the icing sugar, cut into portions, and serve with sweet vanilla whipped cream.