Experience the delightful blend of tart cherries and buttery puff pastry with this unique take on the classic strudel. While traditional Austrian strudels use a delicate, hand-stretched dough, this recipe simplifies the process by using puff pastry, making it accessible and easy to prepare without sacrificing flavor. Perfect with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream, this cherry strudel is a sure crowd-pleaser. Follow our step-by-step guide to create a stunning dessert that’s both impressive and delicious.
Calories: 536.70 kcal/serving
Servings: 6
Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Macros (B/F/C): 7.36g/24.45g/75.00g
Ingredients for 6 Servings:
For the Filling:
- 800 grams of cherries (800 g / 1.76 lbs)
- 2.5 tablespoons of cornstarch (2.5 tbsp / 20 g)
- 5 tablespoons of sugar (5 tbsp / 63 g)
- 80 grams of ground unsalted crackers (80 g / 2.8 oz)
- 1 tablespoon of grated lemon zest (1 tbsp / 6 g)
- 1 tablespoon of ground cinnamon (1 tbsp / 6 g)
- 1 egg
For the Dough:
- 200 grams of flour, plus extra for rolling (200 g / 1.6 cups)
- A pinch of salt
- 100 grams of butter (100 g / 7 tbsp)
- 50 grams of margarine (50 g / 3.5 tbsp)
- 125 ml of water (125 ml / 0.5 cups)
- 1 teaspoon of lemon juice (1 tsp / 5 ml)
Cooking Instructions:
Prepare the Puff Pastry:
- Sift the flour with a pinch of salt onto a work surface.
- Cut the cold butter and margarine into cubes and chop them into the flour until well combined.
- Mix 4 tablespoons of the butter-margarine mixture into the flour with your hands until it forms crumbs.
- Place the remaining butter-margarine mixture into a bowl and keep at room temperature until ready to use.
- Form the dough mixture into a mound, make a well in the center, and pour in the water and lemon juice.
- Knead until the dough is soft and elastic. Shape into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Shape the Dough:
- Place the dough on a floured surface and make a deep cross cut in the center.
- Stretch the corners out to form a star shape.
- Roll out the “arms” of the dough into thin sheets, keeping the center thicker.
- Place the room-temperature butter-margarine mixture in the center and fold the “arms” over it, enclosing the mixture inside.
- Roll the dough into a rectangle about 60 x 30 cm (24 x 12 inches). Cover with a towel and let rest for 15 minutes.
- Roll out the dough again to a rectangle about 75 x 45 cm (30 x 18 inches), fold the corners to the center, cover, and let rest for another 20 minutes.
- Repeat the rolling, folding, and resting process once more, then refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
Prepare the Filling:
- Sort and wash the cherries, then dry them with paper towels and remove the pits.
- Sprinkle the cherries with cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Mix well.
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
- Grease a baking sheet.
Assemble the Strudel:
- Divide the dough into two parts, one slightly larger than the other.
- Roll the smaller portion into a rectangle about 30 x 15 cm (12 x 6 inches) and place it on the prepared baking sheet.
- Mix the ground crackers with the lemon zest, cinnamon, and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Spread this mixture over the dough, leaving a 1.5 cm (0.6 inch) border.
- Pile the cherry mixture onto the dough. Brush the exposed edges with lightly beaten egg white.
- Roll the larger portion of dough into a rectangle about 33 x 18 cm (13 x 7 inches). Place it over the cherries and seal the edges with a fork.
- Make several cuts on top of the strudel and brush with egg yolk.
Bake:
- Bake the strudel for 45 minutes until golden brown.
- Serve warm, optionally with a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream.
Helpful Tip:
Double the ingredients for the puff pastry and freeze half for later. This dough is versatile and can be used for both sweet and savory pies. It can be stored in the freezer for up to three months.
Serving Suggestion:
Serve your cherry strudel with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream or whipped cream sweetened with a bit of powdered sugar for an extra indulgent treat.
