Strudel or Apfelstrudel of Jerte cherries and apples

How to make a cherry strudel . One of the desserts that I like the most, the strudel , with one of my favorite and seasonal fruits, the cherries .

It is a classic birthday boy that I prepare in the month of June, a Strudel with cherries from Jerte , although as we are passionate about apple sweets, in the end I did it with both fruits, the result … of yummy.

In this recipe we can do it with all kinds of cherries, just like apples there are different kinds. Another one with the best flavor is the one called Ambrunes , black, fleshy and without a tail, which we find today in the markets. They can come from both Jerte, as from Aragon, Catalonia … Whether with pillory or ambrunes , we already have another dessert for the favorites list.

Its preparation, as I mentioned in the previous strudel , is of medium difficulty since the treatment of the dough is a bit cumbersome, although you can change the phyllo dough for puff pastry and although the crunchy is not the same, the result in flavor will be Similary.

This dessert is traditional from Austrian and southern German cuisine, and it is said that its origins could be traced back to ancient recipes from Byzantine, Armenian or Turkish cuisines.

The most classic filling is apple, although you can prepare it with whatever you like, I have seen them with raspberries, plums, pears, peaches, strawberries and poppy seeds, even with salty fillings.

In either case, the apple is the queen and combines great with almost any type of fruit and nut. So imagination to power and cheer up with this dessert, very similar to  apple pie .  You just have to add the exact proportions so that the apple flavor is the main one.

Preparation of apples and cherries

1. We squeeze half a lemon and reserve its juice. We peel and core the apples, the ones that are best for this recipe are the golden ones. We cut them into not very large pieces, discard the heart of the fruit and add the lemon so that they do not rust.
2. We take the butter out of the fridge so that it takes temperature.
3. In a microwave-safe container, incorporate the pieces of fruit, 2 tablespoons of sugar, the cinnamon and a shot of rum, stir with your hands so that all the flavors mix well. Even without baking it smells like you’re dying.
4. We put the container with its lid ajar in the micro for 15 minutes on high power. We will obtain the poached pieces of fruit with all the flavor and aromas.
5. We wash the cherries well, if you can get picotas much better. We remove the bone and add them to the apple filling, there is no need for a microwave touch, because with the baking they will be perfect. You can vary the proportions of both fruits, you will not have problems, I used the cherries that I had left, if not sure that I added a few more. We reserve the filling.
6. Chill the filling in the fridge, remember that it must be cold so that the philo dough does not spoil, it must also be cold, my recommendation is that you prepare the filling the day before.

Preparation of the Cherry and Apple Strudel

1. We preheat the oven to 220º C so that it takes temperature.
2. We start with the phyllo dough. It is a bit complicated to work but once you get the hang of the first sheet everything improves substantially.
3. Melt a little more butter in the micro at low temperature for 1 minute. If we have time to clarify it much better.
4. When it is liquid we prepare the work area, the bowl with the butter, a silicone brush, a fine cotton cloth, the dough and the filling.
5. On top of the rag we put the first sheet of phyllo dough (careful that it is very thin and breaks easily when handling it) and we spread it with butter with the brush.
6. We repeat putting a new sheet on top and smearing again. So on until 3 or 4 sheets are joined.
7. Add the filling on the stretched dough and begin to roll it up with the help of the rag.
8. First the edges, folding them in like a handkerchief, and then sushi-style, from right to left pressing with the cloth. It has to be as if it were a gypsy arm but with a sharp edge.

Before baking the strudel. Baking and tasting

1. Before putting the strudel in the oven you have two options when it comes to painting the surface:
   • We beat an egg and mix with a little milk, with this the trick of adding the drops of milk to the egg we will get it not to burn right away and hold it better.
   • Spread and brush with extra virgin olive oil. What we achieve in this way is that the Strudel is even more crisp, although we have to put a little aluminum foil on it during the middle of cooking so that it does not burn.
2. We place the strudel on a sheet of baking paper. We introduce it in a tray at the bottom of the oven at 180º C for 30 minutes until it turns golden.
3. If we see that it starts to roast too much we put a piece of aluminum foil on it.
4. We remove from the oven and let it cool. Garnish with icing sugar and a little chocolate cream (cream and 70% chocolate in equal proportions).

I assure you that it is an incredible dessert, with the tender texture of the fruit and the crispness of the phyllo dough.