Pastry in Viennese cafes– beautifully decorated, perfectly shaped, limitless options – will spark a gluttonous impulse or two. We’ve taken a few shortcuts from the traditional strudel, so you don’t need to spend all morning stretching out thin dough; this way you can indulge in the dessert sooner rather than later.
Yield: 6 servings
Add Kirsch, vanilla, and raisins to a small bowl, and set aside. Peel and core apples. Using a mandolin, slice apples as thin as possible into a bowl, and toss with lemon juice. Add apples and apple juice to a pan, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cook until apples are soft. Strain apples, and discard juice. Toss apples with cinnamon and sugar.
Preheat oven to 375˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place one sheet of phyllo onto parchment, and brush with melted butter. Repeat process with remaining phyllo. Leaving a 1-inch border at the bottom and 1/2-inch border on sides, evenly place apple in bottom quarter of phyllo sheet. Sprinkle raisins and Kirsch over apples, then top with walnuts. Starting at the bottom, gently roll dough into a tight cylinder. Place cylinder seam side down onto parchment, and brush lightly with melted butter.
Bake until phyllo is golden brown, about 30–40 minutes. Remove from oven, and allow to cool before serving.
