Go Back
–+ servings
Close-up of cherry strudel slices on a white plate with a fork.

Fresh-Milled Cherry Strudel

Author: Tina
Share Print
Prep 45 minutes
Cook 35 minutes
Total Fermentation/Resting Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total 2 hours 50 minutes
Fresh cherry season doesn't last nearly long enough, so I make the most of it with this homemade cherry strudel. It has delicate, flaky layers, a juicy cherry filling, and just enough walnuts to add a little texture without taking away from the fruit. Making strudel from scratch always feels a little special, and using freshly milled flour makes the pastry even more flavorful. If you've been wanting to try homemade strudel, I think this is the perfect place to start.
Servings 9 servings
Course Dessert
Cuisine Central European

Ingredients

Dough Ingredients
  • 250 g freshly milled hard white wheat flour or hard red wheat flour
  • 60 g bread flour plus 15-25 g more if needed
  • 1 egg medium
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil or another neutral oil
  • 120 g water
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon sunflower lecithin Optional but highly recommended:
  • ½ teaspoon vital wheat gluten Optional but highly recommended:
Filling Ingredients
  • 28 g breadcrumbs ¼ cup, plain
  • 28 g walnuts ¼ cup, ground
  • 37 g sugar 3 tablespoons, or more if your cherries are tart
  • 500 g cherries halved and pitted (just over 1 pound), fresh
  • 56 g butter grated (4 tablespoons or ½ stick), plus more if you want it to be indulgent, cold
  • 250 g quark Optional, cottage cheese, or skuta if you're short on cherries

Instructions

  1. Sift the freshly milled flour. Add the bread flour, salt, and, if using, the sunflower lecithin and vital wheat gluten into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the egg, oil, and water.
  2. Mix until a rough, fairly stiff dough forms. At first it may look dry, but keep mixing until it comes together into a shaggy mass.
  3. Cover the bowl and let the dough rest for 30 minutes. This allows the freshly milled flour to fully absorb the liquid. After the rest, check the dough. If it still feels noticeably sticky, add 15-25 g of bread flour. The exact amount will depend on your flour and egg size. The dough should feel firm and only slightly tacky. For strudel, a stiffer dough is much easier to stretch successfully than a soft one.
  4. Mix the dough in the stand mixer for 5-10 minutes. By the end of mixing, the dough should be smooth, elastic, and quite firm. Cover the dough again and let it rest for at least 1 hour and up to several hours. You can keep it at room temperature for shorter rests. If it will be more than about 4 hours before you are ready to make the strudel, refrigerate the dough until needed.
  5. Generously flour your kitchen table. Flatten the rested dough into a rectangle and roll it out with a rolling pin.
  6. Once the dough is fairly thin, switch to stretching it by hand. Gently use the backs of your hands and knuckles to stretch it from underneath, working slowly until the dough is very thin and nearly see-through. If it starts resisting or shrinking back, let it rest for 5-10 minutes, then continue.
  7. Evenly sprinkle the breadcrumbs and walnuts across the stretched dough. Scatter the halved cherries on top, then sprinkle over the sugar.
    OPTIONAL: If you're using quark, cottage cheese, or skuta, dollop it evenly over the cherries. This is a great way to stretch the filling if you're short on cherries, and it adds a creamy texture that pairs nicely with the fruit.
  8. Finish by grating plenty of cold butter over the entire surface. Don't be shy here. The butter helps create a rich, juicy filling.
  9. Starting from one of the long edges, gently roll the dough into a log. Don't worry about making it perfect. A rustic-looking strudel is exactly how homemade strudel should look.
  10. Cut the log into three equal pieces, creating three smaller strudels. Place the strudels seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Optionally, brush with melted butter.
  11. Bake in a fan oven at 200°C (390°F) for about 35 minutes, or in a conventional oven at 210°C (410°F) for about 35 minutes. The tops should be golden brown and the filling should be just beginning to bubble. Let the strudels cool for at least 20-30 minutes before slicing. Dust with powdered sugar before serving, if you want to make it extra fancy.

Video

Notes

  • Hard white wheat produces a lighter-colored strudel dough, while hard red wheat gives a slightly heartier flavor. I prefer hard white for this one!
  • The bread flour helps strengthen the dough and improves its ability to stretch thin. You can technically make this strudel with 100% fresh milled flour, but you won’t be able to stretch it so thinly.
  • Sunflower lecithin is optional but makes the dough noticeably easier to stretch.
  • Vital wheat gluten provides additional strength, which again, is very helpful in this recipe.
  • A longer resting time makes stretching the dough easier.

Private Notes

Click here to add your own private notes.

Tried this recipe?

Please leave a rating!
QR Code linking back to recipe