Fall is in the air and the apples are ripe for the picking. That tells me it’s time to make strudel! This recipe makes it easy enough for you to try it with different varieties to see which variety of apple becomes your family favorite when baked with caramel into this wonderful strudel.

Apple Strudel with Caramel
Easy enough to try with a variety of apples!
I like to use tart, green apples. However, you may decide you like Cortland, Jonathan, Rhode Island Greening, Rome Beauty or Rambo – which are all excellent baking apples.

Ingredients:

5 medium apples, peeled and chopped (5 cups at least)
¾ cup apple cider or apple juice
¼ cup sugar
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground allspice
½ tsp. ground cloves
1 frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed
¼ cup fat-free caramel ice cream topping
1 egg
1 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. coarse sugar
Optional:
- whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream
- use additional caramel ice cream topping drizzled over the whipped cream

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a saucepan, stir together the first six ingredients and on medium heat, bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 15-20 minutes or until the apples are tender, stirring occasionally.
4. Cool apple mixture completely.
5. Unfold the puff pastry sheet on a large piece or parchment paper; and roll out to a 16x12-inch rectangle.
6. With the short side of the rectangle facing you, use a slotted spoon and arrange the apple mixture on the bottom half of the pastry but don’t put any apple mixture within 1 inch of the edges.
7. Drizzle the caramel sauce back and forth across the apples
8. Starting with the bottom edge roll up jelly-roll style, then pinch the seams to seal and tuck ends under.
9. Lift strudel on parchment paper to a large cookie or baking sheet.
10. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with the water and brush over the top of the strudel roll. Sprinkle with the coarse sugar. Cut diagonal slits in the top, or using scissors pinch/snip the top.
11. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.
12. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce.

Yield:

8 servings, unless you make the serving slices gigantic! (Say Yes! if you have teenage boys!)

Is strudel a part of your family heritage? Do you remember seeing your grandmother make strudel and it seemed to take her all day? Try this easy recipe – pile the apples high and enjoy this homemade, yet easier version of an old family favorite.

I like to use Prepworks From Progressive International GPC-2701 16 Count Thin Apple Slicer and Corer as the first step to slicing the apples. And my favorite coarse sugar is King Arthur Flour White Sparkling Sugar 3777. Both are available from Amazon.