No rolling, folding, or shaping—there’s hardly an easier recipe for strudel. You simply lay the phyllo sheets across the sheet pan and build up the layers by spraying them with coconut oil. Sure, you can substitute regular nonstick spray (just not baking spray). But remember: the standard spray adds no flavor. The coconut oil gives the strudel a nutty, rich finish, quite delicious with the apples.
One 5-ounce can coconut oil spray
9 large tart baking apples, such as Granny Smith or Empire, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1 cup raisins
¾ cup granulated white sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup plain dried bread crumbs
½ cup sliced almonds
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
One 1-pound box frozen phyllo sheets, thawed
1. Position the rack in the center of the oven. Heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly coat the inside of a 13 × 18-inch lipped sheet pan with coconut oil spray.
2. Mix the apples, raisins, white sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl until the apple slices are well coated.
3. In a second bowl, mix the bread crumbs, almonds, and brown sugar until uniform.
4. Unwrap the phyllo sheets, lay them on a clean, dry work surface, and cover them with a clean kitchen towel. Take two phyllo sheets and use them to cover the bottom of the prepared sheet pan. Spray them lightly with coconut oil, then sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the bread-crumb mixture evenly across the whole expanse. Repeat this process 11 more times, making 12 layers in the pan, each sprinkled with the bread-crumb mixture.
5. Spread the apple mixture over the top, making as even and uniform a layer as you can. Then go back to the phyllo sheet–coconut oil spray–bread-crumb mixture process, repeating it over and over until you’ve used up all the phyllo and all but 2 tablespoons of the bread-crumb mixture. Spray the top of the stack with coconut oil, then sprinkle it with the remaining bread-crumb mixture.
6. Bake for 25 minutes, then cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep the phyllo from browning too deeply. Continue baking until the fruit is bubbling around the edges, about 15 more minutes. Uncover and bake for 2 minutes to make sure the phyllo is crisp and golden. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 45 minutes before serving.
TESTER NOTES
A strudel does not keep well: the filling starts to turn the bottom layers soggy and refrigeration signals the death knell to all its crunch. Plan on serving this one within eight hours of making it. Once it has cooled to room temperature, lay plastic wrap gently on top and pray for a dry day.
