Chestnut, Spiced Apple & Burgundy Plum Strudel

What Makes This Special

This Chestnut, Spiced Apple & Burgundy Plum Strudel is a festive homage to British harvest traditions, weaving together local apples, sweet chestnuts, and deeply colored plums. The homemade strudel dough is delicate and crisp—a true test of skill—while the filling brings together classic autumn flavors and your own custom spice blend. Paired with the theme of gratitude and abundance, this striking strudel is a worthy Thanksgiving centerpiece.

Ingredients

This strudel is all about celebrating autumn’s bounty through thoughtful ingredient choices. The apples lend tartness and texture, the chestnuts bring creaminess and earthiness, and the burgundy plums add a hint of sweet-tart color. Our spice blend is tailored for the season—warming and aromatic, complementing the fruit without overpowering it.

For the Strudel Dough

• Plain flour, egg, salt, lukewarm water, and melted butter create an elastic, stretchable dough that bakes into crisp, wafer-thin layers.

For the Filling

• Apples (autumnal and tart), burgundy plums (for color and flavor), chestnuts (earthy creaminess), dried cranberries (tangy bursts), and pecans (toasted crunch).
• Our custom spice blend: cinnamon, allspice, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and vanilla.
• Breadcrumbs, toasted in oil, soak up juices, preventing sogginess.

Instructions

Step 1: Make the Strudel Dough (30 minutes + 1 hour rest)

1. In a large bowl, combine 240 g flour and 1/2 tsp salt. Make a well in the center, add 1 egg and 40 g melted butter. Pour in 100 ml lukewarm water.
2. Mix with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms, then knead in the bowl until it comes together.
3. Transfer to a lightly floured surface. Knead for 10 minutes until smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky (it should spring back when pressed).
4. Shape into a ball, brush with a little melted butter, wrap in clingfilm, and let rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour. Resting allows the gluten to relax—vital for stretching later.

Step 2: Prepare the Filling (25 minutes)

1. While dough rests, toast 80 g breadcrumbs in 1 tbsp neutral oil in a small pan over medium heat until golden and fragrant. Cool completely.
2. In a large bowl, combine 350 g diced apples, 180 g sliced plums, 200 g chopped chestnuts, 60 g caster sugar, 40 g demerara sugar, grated zest and juice of 1 lemon, 2 tsp chestnut honey, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp allspice, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/8 tsp cloves, pinch nutmeg, seeds from 1/2 vanilla pod, 50 g cranberries, and 60 g pecans. Toss gently.
3. Let sit for 10 minutes so the fruit releases some juices, then drain excess liquid if necessary (to avoid soggy pastry).

Step 3: Stretch the Dough (20 minutes)

1. Lay a clean tea towel over a large work surface and dust with flour. Place rested dough in the center.
2. Roll gently into a rectangle, about 40x30cm, then slip your hands (palms down) under the dough and gently stretch it from the center outward, working slowly, until it’s paper-thin and about 60x45cm. Trim thick edges with a bench scraper.
3. The dough should be so thin you can read a recipe through it. If you get a few small tears, patch gently—they’ll be hidden when rolled.

Step 4: Fill and Roll the Strudel (15 minutes)

1. Brush dough with 20 g melted butter. Scatter toasted breadcrumbs evenly over the lower third.
2. Spoon fruit-nut filling over the breadcrumbs, forming a long, even log—leave a 5cm border at the sides and bottom.
3. Fold in the short sides, then, using the tea towel to help, roll up the strudel from the filled edge, jelly-roll style. Roll gently but firmly, keeping the log tight.
4. Carefully transfer seam-side down onto a parchment-lined baking tray.

Step 5: Bake (35-40 minutes)

1. Preheat oven to 190°C (fan 170°C).
2. Whisk 1 egg yolk with 1 tbsp milk for egg wash. Brush strudel generously.
3. Bake on the middle rack for 35-40 minutes, brushing once or twice more with melted butter for a glossy finish. It should be deeply golden and crisp.
4. Cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing (filling will set as it cools).

Step 6: Serve (5 minutes)

1. Dust generously with icing sugar. Slice thickly and serve warm or at room temperature, ideally with crème fraîche or clotted cream.

Pro Tips

• Let your dough rest: Relaxed gluten is key to stretching paper-thin sheets without tearing.
• Toast breadcrumbs: This prevents a soggy base and adds a nutty aroma.
• Use a towel: The classic tea towel trick makes rolling a large, delicate strudel manageable.

Troubleshooting

Dough keeps tearing when stretched? Let it rest 10 minutes more; warmth and time relax gluten. Keep your hands and surface lightly floured.

Strudel leaks juices during baking? Drain filling before assembly and don’t overfill. The breadcrumbs should soak up excess moisture.

Variations

• Pear & Hazelnut: Swap apples for firm pears and pecans for hazelnuts.
• Bramley-only: Use all apples and add more cranberries for a tart, classic British autumn strudel.
• Chocolate Chestnut: Add 60 g chopped dark chocolate to the filling for a decadent twist.

Storage

Strudel keeps, loosely covered, at room temperature for 2 days, or refrigerated for 4 days. Reheat slices at 150°C for 10 minutes to crisp up. Freeze (well-wrapped) for up to 1 month, then thaw and reheat before serving.

Celebrate the harvest with every slice: this strudel is a labor of love, worthy of your Thanksgiving table and destined to spark gratitude all around.