Margaret Suran wrote:
>
>
> Reg wrote:
>> Margaret Suran wrote:
>>
>>> Forget about making your own strudel dough. It is not worth the
>>> aggravation you will have when you try to pull it until it is thin
>>> enough. It dries quickly and tears and you have to start all over
>>> again.
>>
>>
>> You need moderate experience and the proper equipment to make
>> it work. It helps to have the proper size table, etc.
>>
>> However, in the grand scheme of pastry techniques, making strudel
>> is actually not that hard. The problems you mention are easily
>> addressed if you have minimal competence handling pastry.
>>
>>> The frozen dough is better.
>>
>>
>> Phyllo dough? You're joking right?
>>
>> Phyllo dough hardly resembles real strudel dough. Phyllo comes
>> in small sheets, for one thing. Real strudel is made from one
>> continuous sheet that gives the final product a completely
>> different composition, texture, and appearance. It's integral
>> to the very idea of "strudel".
>>
>> Real strudel cannot be made with phyllo. Shame on you!
>>
>
> The flour in the USA is different from the one in Europe and the dough
> does not become elastic enough.
>
> A couple of years ago, Rosie, a friend from Vienna came to New York and
> stayed with me. One day she decided to make Apfelstrudel for Marcel, my
> next door neighbor, Laura herself and me. We went shopping for all the
> ingredients. I showed her the frozen Phyllo Dough at the store, but she
> told me that making the authentic stuff was no problem. None at all.
>
> I was busily chopping and slicing apples while Rosie was kneading the
> strudel dough. The large dinette table was covered with a fresh, white
> all cotton tablecloth and my guest was wearing a protective white apron,
> so that she could use her hands as well as her tummy to stretch the
> dough. She rolled it out and started to stretch. The dough would not
> stretch thinly enough before tearing and slivering. Rosie gathered up
> the scraps repeatedly and tried again and again. I want to mention that
> she makes Apfelstrudel or some other kind at least once or twice a week
> when she is home. Finally, when the dough no longer looked like
> anything remotely edible, she asked me go to the store and get the
> frozen stuff.
>
> At that time, the sheets of dough were quite large and were folded
> several times to make them fit into the box. Each strudel was large
> enough to be shaped into a "U" or horseshoe, so that it would fit on to
> the cookie sheet on which Rosie baked it. The recipe she used made two
> nice sized ones and they were really delicious. I will ask her for the
> recipe, the next time I email her.
>
> Until then, I will spend a fair amount of time standing in the corner
> and feeling ashamed of myself. (


It must need bread flour instead of AP. Or maybe half bread flour and
half unbleached AP?

The biggest problem I see is finding an uncluttered table large enough
to roll/stretch the dough. :-/ (maybe the floor would work)

The dried-out phyllo dough that I gave to the dog last night was very
large sheets that were folded a couple of times. I think it would work
OK if it was fresher.

I'll buy a box of frozen dough *and* try experimenting with some fresh
homemade dough.

Best regards,
Bob