Description
Delightful apple cream cheese strudel brings European pastry magic to home kitchens with its flaky layers and rich filling. Crisp pastry and sweet cinnamon-spiced apples dance alongside creamy cheese, promising pure comfort you’ll savor with each delectable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 4 ounces (113 grams) cream cheese, softened
- 1 medium apple, peeled and finely diced (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp)
Filling Ingredients:
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Egg Wash and Glaze Ingredients:
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon milk
- ½ cup (60 grams) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Craft a velvety cream cheese blend by whisking together soft cream cheese, granulated sugar, and pure vanilla extract until silky and uniform. Allow mixture to rest momentarily.
- In a separate vessel, gently combine diced apples with rich brown sugar, aromatic cinnamon, and delicate flour, ensuring each apple piece is evenly coated.
- Warm the kitchen oven to 375F (190C) and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper for optimal pastry performance.
- Delicately roll out the puff pastry on a lightly dusted surface, creating a rectangular canvas for your culinary creation.
- Generously spread the cream cheese mixture along the pastry’s central corridor, maintaining a modest border around the edges.
- Artfully distribute the spiced apple mixture atop the cream cheese, creating a harmonious layer of flavors.
- Transform the pastry’s sides by carefully slicing 1-inch parallel strips, leaving the central filling untouched.
- Elegantly weave the pastry strips across the filling, alternating sides to create an intricate braided pattern that resembles delicate lattice work.
- Whisk together egg and milk to create a lustrous wash that will give the strudel a golden, glossy exterior.
- Lovingly brush the egg mixture over the entire pastry surface, ensuring complete coverage for a beautiful, burnished finish.
- Slide the prepared strudel into the preheated oven, allowing it to bake for 20-25 minutes until the pastry achieves a rich, amber-brown complexion and becomes delightfully flaky.
- While the strudel cools, craft a silky glaze by blending powdered sugar, milk, and a hint of vanilla until smooth and drizzling consistency.
- Once the strudel has slightly cooled, cascade the sweet glaze across its surface, creating an enticing final flourish.
- Slice the strudel into elegant portions and serve immediately, allowing guests to savor the harmonious blend of creamy, fruity, and buttery flavors.
Notes
- Use room temperature cream cheese for a smoother, easier-to-mix filling that blends seamlessly.
- Drain excess liquid from diced apples to prevent a soggy pastry bottom and ensure a crisp, flaky texture.
- Dust the work surface lightly with flour to prevent the delicate puff pastry from sticking without making it dry.
- Egg wash creates a beautiful golden sheen and helps seal the pastry edges, making your strudel look professionally baked.
- Chill the assembled strudel for 10 minutes before baking to help maintain its shape and create a more defined braid.
- For a gluten-free version, swap puff pastry with gluten-free puff pastry or phyllo dough made from alternative flours.
- Swap granulated sugar with coconut sugar or monk fruit sweetener for a lower-glycemic alternative that maintains sweetness.
- Add chopped walnuts or pecans to the apple mixture for extra crunch and nutty depth of flavor.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Austrian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 200
- Sugar: 10 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg