Just imagine: There’s a hint of cinnamon and warm apples in the air. In front of you on your plate is a golden-brown piece of baked apple strudel. The pastry is so delicate and crispy that it rustles softly at the slightest touch of a fork. Underneath is a juicy, fruity filling that melts in your mouth. A dream, isn’t it? Many people believe that the secret of a perfect apple strudel lies solely in the choice of apples or the right ratio of sugar and cinnamon. But that’s only half the truth.

The real heart, the soul of an authentic Austrian apple strudel, is the dough. A real, traditional pulled strudel dough is not rolled, it is pulled. Wafer-thin, elastic and yet tear-resistant – that’s how it has to be. And this is where the one crucial ingredient that makes the difference between a good apple strudel and an unforgettable one comes into play: the flour.

Why freshly ground flour is the key to success

Forget the packaged flour from the supermarket, which often sits on the shelf for weeks or months. The old masters knew it long ago: the quality of the flour determines the quality of the baked goods. Freshly ground flour is alive, it contains more moisture, nutrients and – most importantly for our strudel dough – an intact gluten.

Here strikes the hour of a Salzburg grain mill. With its infinitely adjustable grinding mechanism made of solid granite, you can grind the wheat to the exact degree of fineness required. The slow and cool grinding method of the stone mill is gentle on the sensitive gluten. The result is a flour with outstanding baking properties. It can absorb more water and develops a unique elasticity that allows you to stretch the dough so thin that you could almost read a newspaper through it – the classic seal of approval for a perfect strudel dough. This dough becomes incomparably crumbly and flaky when baked.

With freshly ground flour from your Salzburg grain mill, you are not only working with a higher quality product, you are also bringing a piece of traditional baking art directly into your kitchen.

Recipe: Original Viennese apple strudel with pulled dough

Ingredients for the dough:

• 250 g wheat flour (type 480 / W700), fresh and very finely ground with your Salzburg grain mill
• 125 ml lukewarm water
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp neutral vegetable oil (e.g. sunflower oil)
• 1 tbsp vinegar (for elasticity)

Ingredients for the filling:

• 1 kg tart apples (e.g. Boskop, Elstar)
• 100 g sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Juice of half a lemon
• 80 g butter
• 100 g breadcrumbs (stale bread rolls)
• 50 g raisins (optional, soaked in rum)

For spreading:

• 100 g liquid butter

Preparation:

1. The dough: Place the freshly ground flour and salt in a bowl. Add water, oil and vinegar and knead everything with your hands or a food processor for about 10 minutes to form a smooth, pliable dough. Form a ball, coat it thinly with oil, wrap it in cling film and leave it to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.
2. The filling: Peel, quarter and core the apples and cut them into thin slices. Mix them immediately with lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon and the optional raisins. Melt 80 g butter in a pan and fry the breadcrumbs until golden brown.
3. Stripping: Lay a large, clean kitchen towel (preferably an old linen cloth) on your work surface and flour it lightly. Press the dough flat on it and start to carefully pull it outwards from the center with the back of your hand. Slowly work your way around until the dough is paper-thin and translucent. Simply cut away any thick edges.
4. Filling and rolling: Drizzle about two thirds of the dough with a little melted butter. Spread the toasted breadcrumbs on top – they soak up the apple juice and prevent it from soaking through. Place the apple filling on the bottom third. Fold in the sides and carefully roll up the strudel using the cloth.
5. Baking: Carefully lift the strudel onto a baking tray lined with baking paper. Brush it generously with the remaining melted butter. Bake in a preheated oven at 190°C (top/bottom heat) for approx. 40-45 minutes until golden brown. Brush with butter 1-2 more times during baking.

Allow to cool briefly before cutting, dust with powdered sugar and serve lukewarm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or some whipped cream. Have fun baking them!