It’s harvest time. The rain is continuous. I can smell the the apples in the crate. Oké then, Sjoerd and Bride— let’s cook! The Bride put me on the filo dough-making task while she did other things. Once the dough was mixed, kneaded and placed in the warmed pan. We turned to the processing the rest of the apples for making applesauce. That was 3 1/2 kilo apples that needed to be processed, no smal task. After 1 1/2 hours it was time to take the dough out of it's warm pan and to stretch it. The instructions said that it should be stretched so thin that it becomes almost transparent. I did my best with that peculiar dough. I kept thinking the whole time that it felt like a bat’s wing. finally the Bride thought that it was large enough. Next I smeared soft butter over the bat’s wing and after that I took the rusk crumbs and spread them out. I selected some apples and had already chopped them into fine cubes. The apple chips were placed on one half of the batwing. Then the “fun” part— the rolling-up of the whole thing, with help of baking paper. What a challenge that was for us. Once the thing was all rolled-up, the roll was smeared with soft butter. It sort of looks like a beef Wellington. The little oven was heated and in it went for three quarters of an hour. The finished product: The job was done and we were ready for a break after being on our feet continuously for a few hours. When the break was over, we could get on with the applesauce. At the end of the day, it is all stalled-out to cool before putting away. That applesauce isn’t really that colour, I guess it must be the lighting. But what a day the Doughboy had. You guys know that we are total knowledge-less novices when it comes to baking. So this was not only a real challenge for us, but something we had never made before— apfelstrudel.
Oh boy I remember having warm apple strudel and iced tea in the afternoons in Holland. I can almost smell that delicious strudel now.
By the picture seen those apple turnovers look good enough to eat. The apple sauce yumm add cinnamon in some too.
Cayu— oh mate, you and me both. It turned out not too bad for the first try. I forgot the powdered sugar topping, but I will fix that, innit. Eileen— did you have that in your hotel? Where did you have it then? Oh Paccy, I did add cinnamon. I was chuffed with the result. The apples were a bit tart, but in applesauce form, they were just right.
This looks absolutely fabulous! I bet your home smelled good enough to eat. Well done you two - working with a phyllo is no easy task Sjoerd. Huge undertaking for you both and a beautifully delicious result. ( how much is left....dare I ask? hahaha)
Chortle, Mel. About half is left. Tja, one must make quality controls, you know. Thanks so much for the compliments for the strudel. Oh Eileen, one can find almost anything in A’dam.
Cheers Loggie. I have a real weakness for apfelstrudel. I never thought that I would make one myself.
You know Sjoerd that good things come in threes, don't you? Well first it was shortbread then the strudel so what's going to be the third thing you'll be baking I wonder.