This quick and easy Apple Strudel is made with sheets of ready made filo pastry and filled with a spicy, sweet apple mixture. From prep to table in under an hour, this is perfect for feeding a crowd!
Thank goodness it’s almost the end of the week. This has been a very trying week full of big, scary, adult decisions.
I’m not trying to be one of those people who are like “oooh something big happened, but I can’t tell you” – but with this, there’s nothing to tell… yet. It’s more we’ve spent the whole week toing and froing over something that ultimately will affect our entire life.
I’ve had days where I’m 100% ready to do it, then the next day I’m not sure as I’m happy with how things are. I really struggle with change… I’m very set in my ways and have routines. But this decision could make me happier. But then what if it doesn’t?
I think I just hate not knowing. I’m one of life’s planners. I hate being taken by surprise. When we go on holiday? I pack for every eventuality. Half the stuff doesn’t get used, but if something happened, I’d have the right kit to deal with it.
My handbag is full of plasters, nail files, torches, hand gel, wipes, tweezers, emergency breakfast biscuits…. you name it, it’s in there – just in case!
I know that in the end, what will be, will be. I’m just an over thinker. And of course, if/when things are actually happening, I will keep you updated! Sorry to be annoying and vague – I felt the need to vent some of my thoughts and questions. What do you do when there’s a scary decision to be made? Guess I’m just struggling as it’s new for me.
Shall we lighten things up and talk about flaky sheets of filo pastry filled with chunks of apples and a sweet spicy “sauce”?
This Apple Strudel is sooooooo quick and simple to make! I peeled and chopped some apples, coated them in brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla, then layered sheets of filo pastry with melted butter. Pile the apples up on the pastry, fold it up, brush it with melted butter and pop it into the oven to become a golden, bubbly, delicious dessert!
I mean… this apple strudel is never going to win a beauty contest, but it doesn’t have to be beautiful to be tasty! And this is definitely one tasty dessert.
The apples are tender, there’s plenty of cinnamon and the crunch from the filo is just amazing; it’s the perfect contrast to the tender filling.
You can serve this apple strudel with ice cream, powdered sugar, caramel… all of the above?! But it’s amazing on its own too. I couldn’t stop eating the filling!
Enjoy and have a great weekend!
Easy Apple Strudel
Ingredients
- 3 large apples, peeled, cored and cut into small chunks. (I used Bramley)
- 1 tbsp cornflour/cornstarch
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch of ground nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 7 sheets ready rolled filo pastry
- 1/2 stick (56g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F and line a large baking tray with grease proof paper.
- Place the chunks of apples, cornflour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, brown sugar and vanilla extract into a large bowl and stir to cover all the apples in the sugar mixture. Leave to one side.
- Place one sheet of filo pastry onto your prepared baking tray, then lightly brush with melted butter. Place the next sheet of pastry onto the melted butter brushed pastry sheet. Repeat the brushing of butter and placing of the next pastry sheet, until you've used all of your sheets of pastry. Don't brush the final sheet of pastry with butter.
- Tip the apple filling into a line along the centre of the pastry, long ways, leaving a 1 inch gap at either end and 2-3 inches each side of the filling.
- Brush along each of the edges of pastry with melted butter. Take one long edge of the pastry and lift over the apple filling. Then take the other long side of pastry and bring up over the apple filling, this one should also go over the pastry you already folded over the apples to create a seam.
- Gently press to make sure the seam is stuck and then take the filo roll in both of your hands and flip over so the seam is on the bottom of the tray.
- Trim either end of the pastry, so there's only a tiny bit of overhang after the apple filing ends.
- Brush the top of the filo roll with the remaining melted butter and place in the oven for 15 minutes at 200C/400F. After 15 minutes, turn the oven down to 180C/350F and cook for a further 15-20 minutes.
- Once golden and flaky, remove from the oven and test the middle - I took a skewer and gently stuck it into the middle of the strudel to feel the resistance of the apples. They should be soft and tender.
- Leave to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. Cut into 8-10 slices and serve with ice cream, powdered sugar or caramel sauce!
- Easy Apple Strudel will keep in an airtight container, at room temperature, for 3 days.
