Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives

Before I begin my adventures in strudeling, I’d like to preface this entry by letting you all know that today (May 27th – I posted this 20 minutes early) is my 1 year Blogiversary.  Time sure flies –  it seems like yesterday I started this blog!  OK, balloons, streamers, whoot whoots, et al.  Yay for me *twirling finger* LOL

Now onto the important stuff. YES, the title of this entry is a little confusing isn’t it?  For this month’s Daring Bakers Challenge we were challenged to make a strudel the authentic way, as in rolling and stretching out a somewhat small piece of dough to 2 by 3 feet across a table until it’s so paper thin, you could read the NY Times through it without having to even squint.  We’re talking phyllo dough thin here!  Now, I’d seen this done many times before, but my first thought was always the same ‘Not in a million years, unless I have at least three people with NO fingernails and a soft touch, helping me’.  Well, I did not, but I had a rolling pin, and my knuckles.  I’ve made many a strudel in my lifetime, but I always use phyllo dough, so this was definitely a first for me, and a daunting first at that!

Unfortunately, unlike most of the Daring Bakers, I was only able to get this dough to 2 by a little over 1 foot, and it was so thin, I could barely lift it without tearing it.  I marveled at how some of my fellow Daring Bakers were able to stretch this dough into giant sheets of translucent perfection, with what looked like even more room for stretching, so much so that they could probably make 20 wrap around skirts with it, or end up with enough ’stretch’ to turn out the largest strudel ever known to man -  resulting in a Guinness record.  Howchoo all do dat??

Alright, back to my somewhat confusing title.  We were given full reign when it came to fillings for the strudel, the dough being the main factor.  I decided I would attempt both a sweet and savory strudel, edging on tropical with a roasted pineapple-cheese strudel with toasted macadamia nuts, but going utterly fusion crazy with the savory – as in a Char SIU (get it,Striudel? ) pork filling with water chestnuts and scallion.  For those who don’t know, Char Siu pork is the base for the filling you find in Char Siu Bao, those delicious steamed or baked buns you find at Dim Sum, Asian bakeries, and any pork you find in any dish containing pork, at your local Chinese takeout – you know, the meat with the reddish tinge in your fried rice?  Let’s just say that China and Austria make a lovely couple in my savory take on this preparation.

Before I continue to ramble on, how could I forget the ‘paragraph’?  The DB-BOT has yet to infiltrate the DC challenge, so that was a little less typing on my part, but Big Brother is watching keenly over this one, so here we go…!

The May Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Linda of make life sweeter!and Courtney of Coco Cooks. They chose Apple Strudel from the recipe book Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague by Rick Rodgers.  Thank you for a great challenge, and I DO mean CHALLENGE, Courtney and Linda!

Due to the amount of Char Siu filling, and the fact that I could not elongate, prolongate, roll, pull, plead with, or beg that damn dough to stretch more than 2 feet by 1, I was only able to achieve about two layers.  Not only that, but my dough stuck to the well floured white cotton sheet I used!  With each half roll, the Char Siu filling just begging to burst out and turn the sheet crimson, I delicately chiseled the dough off the sheet with a bench scraper, millimeter by millimeter across the roll, to release it without tearing.  That in itself was a feat, and I could have swam across the English Channel and back in the time it took.  With each release, the dough rolling over cleanly, I let out an audible “YESSSS!” a la Marv Albert prior to his back biting follies.  Regardless, it still came out pretty nice looking, and was devoured almost instantly.  I’m not kidding when I say about 5 minutes flat!

With that said, when I decided to go with the Char Siu Pork and sauce, I contemplated panko bread crumbs, but then thought..Chinese, Japanese and Austrian?  Hmm..there could be trouble in that menage a trois, a la Jackie Chan, Michiko Nishiwaki, and Arnold Schwarzenegger fighting over who gets to play the action hero, so I just used some fresh, plain, toasted bread crumbs as the recipe stated, and decided to leave Japan for another day OR strudel.  A topping of egg wash and black and white sesame seeds was the finishing touch.

I had a slightly easier time with the dough for the roasted pineapple-cheese macadamia strudel, as in 2 by 2 feet, which gave me about 3 to 4 layers, but you know the old adage – practice makes perfect, and now that I’ve gotten the technique that I avoided for so long out of my system, there will be plenty of strudel making in coming months.  I’ll do this until I master it and achieve layers and layers of flaky LOVE!  Speaking of LOVE, looks like I haven’t given much to my roasted pineapple-cheese macadamia strudel, as my whole strudel making process was dominated with the Char Siu Pork, so without further ado, here she is (Yes, I’ve decided this strudel is of the female persuasion, while it seems apropos that the pork strudel is machismo at it’s finest ;D)….

By the way, the recipe for the roasted pineapple-cheese strudel is straight from my late paternal grandma’s weathered recipe box, with a few tweaks by me, like roasting the pineapple and the addition of the toasted macadamias.  It’s a secret family recipe, but I will say part of that secret is the combination of cheeses in the cheese filling, which makes the creamiest, most luscious cheese filling EVER!  I’ll give you a hint….cream cheese IS involved..LOL  I also brushed the top with reduced pineapple juice and a little sanding sugar, and after baking and cooling, plated it with a take on Claudia Fleming’s passion fruit caramel, substituting pineapple for the passion fruit.

Finally, before I post the recipes… for all of you who wished me well during this painful time, I can’t thank you enough.  It’s amazing what a small world it is, and Six Degrees of Separation ain’t no joke!  I’m shocked and completely FREAKED OUT by a lot of the stuff I found out, but I’m glad I now know.  Remember, always TRUST your instincts!  I didn’t, and am paying/paid dearly for it.

Apple strudel
from “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers

Preparation time
Total: 2 hours 15 minutes – 3 hours 30 minutes

15-20 min to make dough
30-90 min to let dough rest/to prepare the filling
20-30 min to roll out and stretch dough
10 min to fill and roll dough
30 min to bake
30 min to cool

Apple Filling
2 tablespoons (30 ml) golden rum
3 tablespoons (45 ml) raisins
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (80 g) sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick / 115 g) unsalted butter, melted, divided
1 1/2 cups (350 ml) fresh bread crumbs
strudel dough (recipe below)
1/2 cup (120 ml, about 60 g) coarsely chopped walnuts
2 pounds (900 g) tart cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into ¼ inch-thick slices (use apples that hold their shape during baking)

1. Mix the rum and raisins in a bowl. Mix the cinnamon and sugar in another bowl.

2. Heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the breadcrumbs and cook whilst stirring until golden and toasted. This will take about 3 minutes. Let it cool completely.

3. Put the rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large baking sheet with baking paper (parchment paper). Make the strudel dough as described below. Spread about 3 tablespoons of the remaining melted butter over the dough using your hands (a bristle brush could tear the dough, you could use a special feather pastry brush instead of your hands). Sprinkle the buttered dough with the bread crumbs. Spread the walnuts about 3 inches (8 cm) from the short edge of the dough in a 6-inch-(15cm)-wide strip. Mix the apples with the raisins (including the rum), and the cinnamon sugar. Spread the mixture over the walnuts.

4. Fold the short end of the dough onto the filling. Lift the tablecloth at the short end of the dough so that the strudel rolls onto itself. Transfer the strudel to the prepared baking sheet by lifting it. Curve it into a horseshoe to fit. Tuck the ends under the strudel. Brush the top with the remaining melted butter.

5. Bake the strudel for about 30 minutes or until it is deep golden brown. Cool for at least 30 minutes before slicing. Use a serrated knife and serve either warm or at room temperature. It is best on the day it is baked.

Strudel dough
from “Kaffeehaus – Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague” by Rick Rodgers

1 1/3 cups (200 g) unbleached flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons (105 ml) water, plus more if needed
2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil, plus additional for coating the dough
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar

DIRECTIONS
1. Combine the flour and salt in a stand-mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the water, oil and vinegar in a measuring cup. Add the water/oil mixture to the flour with the mixer on low speed. You will get a soft dough. Make sure it is not too dry, add a little more water if necessary.
Take the dough out of the mixer. Change to the dough hook. Put the dough ball back in the mixer. Let the dough knead on medium until you get a soft dough ball with a somewhat rough surface.

2. Take the dough out of the mixer and continue kneading by hand on an unfloured work surface. Knead for about 2 minutes. Pick up the dough and throw it down hard onto your working surface occasionally.
Shape the dough into a ball and transfer it to a plate. Oil the top of the dough ball lightly. Cover the ball tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to stand for 30-90 minutes (longer is better).

3. It would be best if you have a work area that you can walk around on all sides like a 36 inch (90 cm) round table or a work surface of 23 x 38 inches (60 x 100 cm). Cover your working area with table cloth, dust it with flour and rub it into the fabric. Put your dough ball in the middle and roll it out as much as you can.
Pick the dough up by holding it by an edge. This way the weight of the dough and gravity can help stretching it as it hangs. Using the back of your hands to gently stretch and pull the dough. You can use your forearms to support it.

4. The dough will become too large to hold. Put it on your work surface. Leave the thicker edge of the dough to hang over the edge of the table. Place your hands underneath the dough and stretch and pull the dough thinner using the backs of your hands. Stretch and pull the dough until it’s about 2 feet (60 cm) wide and 3 feet (90 cm) long, it will be tissue-thin by this time. Cut away the thick dough around the edges with scissors. The dough is now ready to be filled.

Tips
- Ingredients are cheap so we would recommend making a double batch of the dough, that way you can practice the pulling and stretching of the dough with the first batch and if it doesn’t come out like it should you can use the second batch to give it another try;
- The tablecloth can be cotton or polyster;
- Before pulling and stretching the dough, remove your jewelry from hands and wrists, and wear short-sleeves;
- To make it easier to pull the dough, you can use your hip to secure the dough against the edge of the table;
- Few small holes in the dough is not a problem as the dough will be rolled, making (most of) the holes invisible.

Char Siu Pork and Sauce

Roast Pork Marinade
2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 teaspoon 5-spice powder
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
2 garlic cloves – minced
1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
About 2 teaspoons of red food coloring or 2 drops of red gel paste (optional, but necessary for a really red color, if desired)

2 pounds boneless pork butt or shoulder
2/3 cup chopped water chestnuts or 1 cup sliced water chestnuts
1/2 cup chopped scallions

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375F. Line a sheet pan with foil or parchment paper.

2. In a blender container or food processor bowl with metal blade, combine all the marinade ingredients except pork, water chestnuts and scallions; blend until smooth.  Place pork in a zip lock bag and pour marinade over it.  Let it marinate for at least 2-4 hours, or overnight.

3. Remove pork from marinade and generously brush with the marinade, reserving remaining marinade as a basting sauce. Place pork butt on lined pan and bake at 375F for 30 minutes. Remove pork from oven. Baste pork butt with remaining basting sauce. Bake an additional 20 – 30 minutes or until no longer pink in the center. Remove from oven, let cool.

4. When cool, chop the pork into small cubes and stir in water chestnuts and scallions.  Place in the refrigerator until ready to combine with the sauce

Sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons dry sherry
2 tablespoons peanut oil
2/3 cup chopped onion
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup chicken stock or broth
Additional red food coloring or gel paste if desired

DIRECTIONS
1. In small bowl or cup, combine the 2 Tbsps of cornstarch and 2 Tbsps sherry.  Blend well.

2. Heat oil in wok or large skillet over high heat. Add onion, cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until onion begins to soften and turn slightly golden. Add garlic, and cook for another minute (be careful it doesn’t burn). Add the 2Tbsps soy sauce and 2 Tbsps hoisin sauce to the pan and stir to coat. Add broth and toasted sesame oil and stir until combined. Let cook for about 1 more minute.  Stir in food coloring if using.

3. Stir in cornstarch mixture, and cook while stirring until mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat, and stir in the chopped pork. Transfer to a bowl, and let cool, then refrigerate until ready to fill and roll the strudel.

Well. that’s all folks.  Please take a moment to check out all the other lovely strudel creations by clicking on the links to the blogs at the Daring Bakers Blogroll.