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This was originally posted on September 9, 2010 on Cooking for Seven. Because these lessons were such an important part of my life, I will be re-posting them here.
{Grandma’s Cooking School is my chronicles of the informal cooking lessons that my Grandma graciously decided to give us girls. Enjoy!}


Apple Strudel
Apple Strudel. A thing of beauty. Sweet apples encased in a thin, flaky dough. Delicious.

Apple Strudel
We began our lesson by reading through the recipe and preparing the apples.

Apple Strudel
Next, we mixed together two kinds of dough: a quick version and a more traditional version made with yeast. Meanwhile we cooked the apple filling.

Apple Strudel
Time to roll out the dough! It must be so thin you can see writing through it.

Apple Strudel
Then we brushed it with butter, spread it with the apple filling, and rolled it up!

Apple Strudel
Baked.

Apple Strudel
Enjoyed by Dad.

Apple Strudel
Jealous yet?
I can’t believe I have come to the final lesson Grandma has shared with us. Hopefully she will continue our classes this Fall/Winter when things quiet down and we settle in for a long Minnesota winter.
Here are all of our lessons so far.

Part 1: Banana Cream Pie
Part 2: Chocolate Crepes
Part 3: Roast Beef Dinner
Part 4: Poppy Seed Torte
Part 5: Homemade Bread and Sweet Rolls






For my own interest I have included the original comments from Cooking for Seven:

29 THOUGHTS ON “GRANDMA’S COOKING SCHOOL: APPLE STRUDEL”

  3. i’ve been waiting, waiting, waiting patiently for apple season and the prices/quality to improve before i make a strudel. being almost 100% german, i think it’s imperative i make apfelstrudel at least once in my lifetime. hopefully more. and hopefully as beautiful as your grandma’s!
    that implement you’re using to spread the apples — is that a knife or a spatula of some sort?
    cheers,
    *heather*

  6. Your strudel looks delish (as do all your dishes) and I would like to try making it. Do you have the recipe published somewhere? I couldn’t find it on your site.

  11. Beautiful! And BEAUTIFUL that you are doing this all with your Grandma. Cherish it. I lost my Grandma unexpectedly last year and I will always cherish our times together. So glad I found your blog!

  15. i’m curious (again) about the strudel: does your grandma opt against the buttered breadcrumbs and chopped walnuts? i’m planning to make one today and, unfortunately, my very German grandma doesn’t have the recipe from her childhood. any help or hints would be appreciated.
    thanks much and cheers,
    *heather*

  16. thanks so much for the quick response, erica lea! i’m trying my hand this afternoon — will let you know how it turns out, and if it remotely resembles yours and those i remember from my childhood!
    cheers,
    *heather*

  21. I am jealous. Honestly. I wish that I could bite right into that right now. I love your blog and your recipes.
    itsallaboutalifestyle.blogspot.com

Grandma’s Cooking School: Apple Strudel

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This post was originally published on October 10, 2010 on Cooking for Seven.

Maple Apple Pecan Bread | Buttered Side Up
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Maple Apple Pecan Bread | Buttered Side Up
Maple Apple Pecan Bread | Buttered Side Up


We have been blessed with a multitude of apples this year. It’s wonderful to be able to, after a hard run, pluck an apple from our trees and enjoy a sweet reward.
It’s also wonderful to have so many apples on hand, ready to create something delicious. Like pink apple jelly. Or this scrumptious Maple Apple Pecan Bread.


  Notes:
  The original recipe called for brown sugar. Since I didn’t have natural “solid” sweetener on hand, I substituted maple syrup and increased the flour by 3 tablespoons.
   I did use 3/4 cup of ap-flour, but if you have whole wheat pastry flour on hand you could easily use all whole wheat.




Maple Apple Pecan Bread
Printable Page
Adapted from Joy the Baker

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup + 3 tablespoons white whole wheat flour
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • generous pinch freshly ground nutmeg
  • 2/3 cup buttermilk (I used yogurt + a little milk)
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 cup grated apples
  • 1/2 cup coarsely chopped apples
  • 1 tablespoon flax seeds
  • 3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts, divided
  • cinnamon and sugar for sprinkling

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9×5×3-inch loaf pan.
2) In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.
3) In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, maple syrup, eggs, melted butter and vanilla extract. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.  Add the grated apples, chopped apples flax seeds and half of the chopped walnuts.  Fold to incorporate thoroughly.
4) Scoop batter into prepared pan and top with granulated sugar, cinnamon and the rest of the walnuts. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
5) Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes then invert onto a cooling rack to cool before wrapping & storing.  Serve slightly toasted with butter.

Makes one large loaf.







Maple Apple Pecan Bread | Buttered Side Up
Maple Apple Pecan Bread
Maple Apple Pecan Bread

Maple Apple Pecan Bread

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