Years ago, while working at Universal Grill on the back lot of Universal Studios in Los Angeles, Arnold Schwarzenegger called and special-ordered an apple strudel. At first, I thought it was a joke. It wasn’t. I was so incredibly nervous to make it. Typically, I would have made this phyllo dough recipe because it’s such an easy and delicious shortcut, but when Schwarzenegger calls, you have to make the real deal! (Real Viennese apple strudel dough, which is similar to a pizza dough, has to be rolled out to a very thin consistency; it’s so tricky.) When I found out that Arnold loved it and told my boss “it was just like his mother used to make,” I think I cried. When the presence of your loved one comes sailing back to you in a bite, that’s big love cooking.
Note: If you have ever wanted to set cherries aflame, now’s your chance! While the quickest way to set the brandy on fire is to raise the heat to high and let the flames lick at the brandy, I don’t advise this at home. Instead, pull the pan away from the stove and use a long grill match to ignite the brandy, holding the pan away from you. Then return it to the heat to stir. The flames will die down in about 30 seconds—just enough time to burn off the alcohol. Alternatively, you can use kitchen tongs to ignite a match from a low flame and ignite the brandy that way, always being careful to keep a safe distance between you and the flames.
SERVES 8
1/2 cup [70 g] dried cherries
1/4 cup [60 ml] brandy (choose a good one that you would also like to drink!)
1 cinnamon stick
1 Tbsp granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling
3 medium apples, peeled, cored, quartered, then sliced crosswise into 1/4 in [6 mm] thick slices
2/3 cup [40 g] panko bread crumbs
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp brown sugar
Six 12 by 17 in [30.5 by 43 cm] store-bought phyllo dough sheets
2 Tbsp butter, melted
Fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, for serving
Preheat the oven to 400°F [200°C]. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add the cherries, brandy, cinnamon stick, and granulated sugar and allow the brandy to get hot, about 30 seconds. Do your flambé move (see headnote), allowing the flames to cook off the alcohol, about 30 seconds. Continue stirring continuously until the sugar is dissolved, the brandy reduces by more than half, and the cherries get nice and plump, about 3 minutes. Discard the cinnamon stick and set aside the brandied cherries.
In a large bowl, add the apples, bread crumbs, ground cinnamon, and brown sugar and toss it together with your hands until well combined. Transfer the brandied cherries to the bowl, using a rubber spatula to scrape everything from the skillet. Use a wooden spoon to mix and set aside.
Place the phyllo sheets on a clean work surface and keep the stack under a clean, damp kitchen towel so they don’t dry out while you work. Working with one sheet at a time, use a pastry brush to brush a sheet with a bit of melted butter. Top that sheet with another sheet of phyllo and brush with butter. Repeat the layering and buttering with each of the remaining sheets until you have used up most of the butter, reserving some to brush the outside of the rolled strudel before baking.
Spread the apple-cherry filling over the top of the phyllo sheet stack, leaving a 1 in [2.5 cm] border. Beginning with the long end, roll it closed like a jelly roll. Pinch the ends of the strudel shut and transfer, seam-side down, to the prepared baking sheet. Brush the top with a thin coating of remaining melted butter and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
Bake until the top is crispy and brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Allow to cool a bit before slicing and serving with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and store in your refrigerator for up to 2 days.