Delicate quark dough, grated apples, poppy seeds, cinnamon, raisins, and nuts come together to create a fragrant strudel with a rich flavor and pleasant texture. The almonds on top turn golden during baking and give the pastry a beautiful finish.
This traditional dessert is perfect with coffee or tea. The preparation is simple: just knead the dough, let it rest briefly, roll it out, and layer the filling step by step. The amount of poppy seeds, apples, raisins, nuts, and almonds can be easily adjusted to your taste.
What We Will Need
For the dough:
- 250 g Omega (baking fat),
- 250 g plain flour,
- 250 g South Bohemian quark,
- 1 egg,
- a pinch of salt.
For the apple-poppy seed filling:
- breadcrumbs toasted in butter,
- poppy seeds, amount to taste,
- grated apples, as needed,
- raisins,
- cinnamon,
- chopped nuts, to taste.
For finishing:
- beaten egg,
- almonds, amount to taste.
The original recipe does not specify exact amounts for the filling and finishing ingredients, so adjust them according to the size of the rolled-out dough and the desired amount of filling.
Step-by-Step Preparation:
1. Preparing the dough: Place Omega, plain flour, South Bohemian quark, egg, and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Knead everything thoroughly until you have a smooth, well-combined dough. Let the finished dough rest briefly.
2. Preparing the apples: Peel the apples and grate them coarsely. Also prepare the poppy seeds, raisins, cinnamon, and chopped nuts so you can layer the filling evenly over the rolled-out dough.
3. Toasting the breadcrumbs: Toast the breadcrumbs in butter until golden. Stir regularly while toasting to ensure even color and prevent burning. Let them cool slightly afterwards.
4. Rolling out the dough: Roll out the rested dough into a continuous sheet. Try to make an even layer so the strudel rolls up well and bakes evenly throughout.
5. Layering the filling: First sprinkle the dough with the toasted breadcrumbs, then with poppy seeds. Add the grated apples, raisins, and cinnamon. Finally, top everything with chopped nuts to taste.
6. Rolling up the strudel: Carefully roll up the dough with the filling into a strudel shape. Work gently to keep the filling inside and avoid tearing the dough. Shape the strudel and prepare it for baking.
7. Finishing the surface: Brush the surface of the strudel evenly with the beaten egg. Then sprinkle with almonds to taste, which will create a golden and flavorful finish during baking.
8. Baking: Place the strudel in an oven preheated to 170 °C. Bake for about 30 to 40 minutes, until the surface is beautifully golden brown. Adjust the baking time depending on how quickly the strudel colors in your oven.
9. Cooling and serving: Remove the baked strudel from the oven and let it cool for a while. Then cut it into portions and serve with coffee or tea.
How to Finish the Strudel Before Serving
Once cooled, you can sprinkle the strudel with powdered sugar as originally recommended. This gives the surface a simple sweet finish that pairs well with the apple, poppy seed, and cinnamon filling.
Tip for a More Festive Serving
If you want to serve the dessert more festively, you can drizzle individual portions with vanilla custard. Its delicate flavor complements the poppy seeds, apples, raisins, and nuts, making the strudel feel even richer.
How to Adjust the Amount of Filling
Since the original recipe does not specify exact amounts for most filling ingredients, go by the size of the rolled-out dough. Spread the filling evenly and avoid overfilling, so the strudel can be wrapped carefully and the filling stays inside during baking.
