Puff Pastry Apple Strudel
This Puff Pastry Apple Strudel is so simple to make! Store bought puff pastry is filled with spiced apples and lightly sweetened cream cheese. It's baked to golden perfection and drizzled with a simple icing for an easy and delicious sweet treat.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Makes: 8 - 10 servings
Ingredients
Apple Filling
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 medium firm apples, peeled and diced
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- pinch of salt
Strudel Ingredients
- 8 oz full-fat brick cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 egg yolks, room temperature
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 2 sheets all-butter puff pastry
- 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water
- turbinado sugar, for sprinkling (optional)
Glaze
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Defrost the puff pastry: The day before you plan to make puff pastry apple strudel, transfer the puff pastry to the fridge so that it can defrost overnight.
- Saute the apples. Melt the butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once the butter is melted and foamy, add the diced apple, sugar, cinnamon, and flour and toss well. Cook the apples, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender and the sauce is thick. Remove from the heat and sprinkle with a bit of salt. Transfer to a small bowl to cool.
- Make the cream cheese filling. Combine the cream cheese, egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla bean paste in a mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer to beat until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag or a sturdy ziplock bag.
- Prep the puff pastry. Remove the puff pastry from the fridge and dust a work surface with flour. Lightly roll out the puff pastry into an 8x11 inch rectangle, with the long edge facing you.
- Assemble the strudel. Pipe half the cream cheese mixture into the center, leaving about 3 inches of bare puff pastry on either side of the cream cheese. Top the cream cheese with half the apples. Use a sharp knife, kitchen shears, or pizza cutter to cut strips on both sides of the pastry.
- Fold the strudel. Starting at the top, fold the strips over toward the middle, stretching gently to overlap pieces. Work your way down to the bottom, then tuck in bottom and top of pastry. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment. Repeat with the other sheet of puff pastry and the remaining cream cheese and apples. Set the second strudel next to the first on the baking sheet and transfer the baking sheet to the freezer while the oven preheats.
- Preheat an oven to 400 F.
- Bake. Brush the tops of the strudels with the egg wash and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar. Bake for 20-25 minutes until the strudel is puffed and golden brown. Remove from the oven and let it cool.
- Make the glaze. Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla. You want the glaze to be thick, but drizzle-able. Drizzle over the strudels
Nutrition
Calories: 564kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 7gFat: 37gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 4gMonounsaturated Fat: 17gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 247mgPotassium: 143mgFiber: 2gSugar: 22gVitamin A: 559IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 52mgIron: 2mg
