APPLE STRUDEL

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Mix raisins and rum in a small bowl.  Place the bowl in a sink filled with a couple inches of hot water; soak for 15-20 minutes.
2. Drain any excess rum from raisins. Mix raisins, apples, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a large bowl.
3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lay out two large pieces of parchment paper for working and baking on. Gently unfold the puff pastry and place one on each piece of parchment paper.  Using a rolling pin gently roll the folds and creases in the pastry to smooth the dough.  Divide the apple mixture evenly between the two sheets spreading up through the center of the dough.
4. Using a pizza cutter cut the dough in strips about 1/2 to 3/4 inch wide being careful to line up the cut as close as possible on both sides of the apple mixture. Gently (using the parchment paper) move the cut puff pastry to baking sheets keeping the parchment paper on the baking sheets.
5. Fold each strip across at a little bit of a downward angle starting with either the left or the right.  So you will go left, right, left, right.  As you go along moisten the far outer one inch of the strips that that you fold in second (or in this case the right) lightly with water. Using paper towels soak up any excess juice around the edges of the strudel.
6. In a small bowl beat egg and milk.  Using a pastry brush lightly coat the tops and sides of the strudel. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.
7. In medium bowl whisk together powdered sugar, milk, ground cinnamon and vanilla.  Drizzle over fully cooled apple pastry.

NOTES

• Use good baking apples like Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Braeburn or Pink Lady (also known as Cripps Pink).
• Thaw the puff pastry out in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter just until it is pliable enough to unfold without cracking.
• Feel free to use any kind of raisins.  I just think Golden raisins taste better and they look so much nicer mixed with the apples.
• Drain as much of the rum as you can so from the raisins before adding them to the apple mixture.
• If you don’t like nutmeg than omit it or add a couple pinches of ground cloves.  As I always say don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.
• It is best to use a paper towel to clean up any oozing apple mess around the pastry before placing in the oven.
• This is a relatively easy recipe yet a busy recipe so have everything you need set out or in close range like parchment paper, cutting board, pastry brush, bowl of water, pizza cutter, egg mixed with milk (egg wash).  It is easy to forget a step so stay organized.
• The strudel should be fairly cool before drizzling the glaze.
• To reheat place on baking sheet covered loosely with aluminum foil in a preheated 275 degree oven for about 10 minutes.
• Store up to two days on the counter in an airtight container.  You can store an additional 2-3 days in the fridge.