close

SIMMER + SAUCE

Frosted Apple Strudel

I bet you had no idea I’m part German. I used to think that’s where my love of apple strudel came from. But truth be told, strudel is not German. This iconic pastry is most often associated with Austrian cuisine and can be traced back to the 17th century. The first handwritten recipe for a milk strudel dates back to 1696. Although the dessert is now considered a proud patriot of Austria, and formerly of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, many believe it is likely a cultural collaboration, as the thin layers are reminiscent of many Turkish pastry recipes, including Baklava.

apple strudel

This is my frosted apple strudel recipe and it’s the perfect recipe for fall. A strudel is a type of sweet (or savory) layered pastry with a filling inside. The history of strudel dates back hundreds of years and was considered an easy, yet satisfying, meal for the poor. The name “strudel” itself comes from the German word for “whirlpool” or “eddy“, a reference to the rolled version of the pastry that looks like the inside of a whirlpool.

While Turkish Baklava may have laid the foundation for strudel’s creation, gradually strudels with all types of sweet and savory fillings were created. Other popular strudel flavors enjoyed around the globe are; almond, semolina, rice, quark, poppy seed, nut, cherry, pear, apricot, beef, ham, mushroom, cabbage, and cinnamon.

apple strudel

Strudel vs. Streusel

Strudel and streusel often get confused, but they shouldn’t so let’s clarify the difference once and for all. A strudel has thin sheets of pastry wrapped around the filling, while streusel has a crumbly sweet topping of sugar, flour, and butter that is often layered over pies and cakes.

apple strudel

Some believe strudel (of any variety) is best enjoyed in the traditional surroundings of a Viennese coffee house, accompanied by a large dollop of homemade whipped cream or creamy vanilla custard as well as a strong cup of espresso. But in the States, we often eat strudel for breakfast or brunch, with a drizzle of frosting and coffee, but no need to limit yourself it’s a worthy treat any time of day. With apple season upon us, this is the sweet treat you should be baking this weekend. And if you skip making homemade puff pastry, as I do in this recipe, it won’t take you all day to do it.

About the Author

Andrea Potischman

I am a professionally trained NYC chef turned CA mom and food blogger. I post about real food, with doable ingredient lists that are family friendly.

One thought on "Frosted Apple Strudel"

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Comment Policy

Simmer + Sauce reserves the right to remove or restrict comments that do not contribute constructively to the topic conversation, contain profanity or offensive language, personal attacks, or seek to promote a personal or unrelated business. Any post found to be in violation of any of these guidelines will be modified or removed without warning. When making a comment on my blog, you grant Simmer + Sauce permission to reproduce your content to our discretion, an example being for a possible endorsement or media kit purposes. If you don’t want your comment to be used for such purposes, please explicitly state this within the body of your comment. If you find evidence of copyright infringement in the comments of simmerandsauce.com, contact me and I will remove that in question promptly.