An unusual strudel with juicy pear
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When it rains, you want something warm and cozy. Like the Austrian pie called pear strudel. Tourists returning from this picturesque country recall not only the castles and narrow streets of Austrian towns, but also the delicious roulade served in cozy local cafes. They say you can't visit Paris without seeing the famous cathedral. Visiting Austria and not trying a traditional pie is no less a crime.
A bit of history
The first recipe for this delicacy dates back to 1696 and is housed in the Vienna City Library. However, historians have traced the origins of strudel as far back as Byzantium and Ancient Greece!
The first recipe for this delicacy dates back to 1696 and is housed in the Vienna City Library. However, historians have traced the origins of strudel as far back as Byzantium and Ancient Greece!
The word "strudel" comes from German and translates as "whirlwind." And for good reason—the dough for this pie is rolled into a roll, which contains a delicious filling. The classic strudel is made with apples, but any filling is acceptable. Strudel has been a popular dish both in ancient times and today. Its significance is so great that in Austria, a groom could call off a wedding if he didn't like the strudel the bride made.
Unfortunately, we don't know the name of the chef who first created this masterpiece. But today, there are dozens of variations of the strudel recipe—with apples, cherries, hazelnuts, cranberries, and pineapple. Some have gone even further and made it with mushrooms, meat, and fish.
How to make pear strudel
The strudel recipe is quite simple. This delicious dessert is made with ingredients that are readily available in every kitchen. To prepare this delicacy, you'll need:
- wheat flour – 200 g;
- 2 eggs;
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil;
- a little more than half a glass of water;
- a pinch of salt;
- 2-3 pears (preferably firm ones);
- 150 grams of sugar and cottage cheese;
- a handful of raisins;
- a packet of vanilla sugar;
- a little butter;
- cream;
- a tablespoon of cornstarch;
- 1 yolk for greasing
Let's prepare pear strudel like this:
- Beat eggs into flour, add a pinch of salt.
- Then, as the recipe says, you need to pour in water and add a spoonful of vegetable oil.
- Knead the dough. It shouldn't stick to your hands. Wrap it in cling film and refrigerate.
- Now, as the recipe suggests, you can prepare the delicious filling. Place the cottage cheese in a bowl, add the cream and vanilla sugar, and stir with a fork.
- Add raisins to the cottage cheese.
- Cut the pears into cubes.
- Now the recipe will tell us about the most difficult part of making strudel – rolling out the dough. It needs to be rolled out carefully, making it very thin. To do this, take a towel, spread it out, and sprinkle it with flour. Place the dough on it and begin rolling it out smoothly, starting from the center. Roll it out as thinly as possible, allowing some of the dough to show through.
- Grease the rolled out dough with butter and place the curd mixture on it, leaving a small space from the edge.
- Now's the time to place the pears on top of the curd filling. Sprinkle them with cornstarch to absorb the liquid and prevent our dessert from dripping. Sprinkle sugar on top.
- Using a towel, roll the roll and press the edges.
- Brush the surface of our masterpiece with egg and sprinkle more sugar on top. Place it in a baking pan, previously lined with parchment paper. Bake in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 30-40 minutes.
- When the allotted time has passed, turn off the oven and leave the delicacy to simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
Let the pear strudel cool slightly. When serving, drizzle it with cream sauce, top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and a cup of steaming, aromatic coffee. Enjoy!
