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Hints on Strudel Making
by Rose Vetter,
02 Feb 2011
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According to an expert from
the Max Rubner Research
Institute in Germany,
acidity in the dough causes
the gluten to become shorter
and firmer, thus making it
more stable and resilient.
Apparently there are some
flours available that
contain ascorbic acid and
don't require the addition
of vinegar or lemon juice.
But then again, some
successful strudel bakers
never add any acids.
My mother never used any
special flour, just plain
all-purpose Robin Hood, sold
everywhere in Canada. In
fact, a huge sign
advertising Robin Hood Flour
was one of the first
impressions of Canada by
immigrants arriving by ship
in Quebec City harbor in the
1950's.
Two very crucial factors for
successful strudel dough are
thorough kneading and
allowing the dough to rest
for at least half an hour,
brushed with oil and covered
by a warm bowl. Mom always
kneaded her dough by hand,
whereas some people throw
theirs hard against the
working surface up to a
hundred times to make it
elastic.
Before you start pulling the
dough, roll it out from the
centre into all directions.
Then start lifting and
pulling gently, with a
billowing effect, from the
centre outward. It's
important to do this over
the backs of your
hands and wrists, never with
your palms and fingers
upward that causes
tearing—also stop pulling
the parts that are thin and
concentrate on pulling from
the center..
Mom took great pride in her
strudels, with crisp,
paper-thin layers, and our
friends still rave about
that special pastry.
[Edited by Rose Mary Keller Hughes, Recipe Coordinator.
Published
at DVHH by
Jody McKim Pharr,
02 Feb 2011]
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