Growing up, there were a lot of foods that weren’t allowed in our home: Sugar cereals. White bread. TV dinners. Soda. Regular peanut butter, such as Peter Pan or Jiff (we could only have the natural kind! It was hard as a rock and wasn’t sugary and creamy and delightful!). Tang. Kool-Aid. Pop Tarts. Toaster Strudels.
Of all the banned foods, I felt that the lack of Toaster Strudels was the greatest injustice. In my childhood mind, Toaster Strudels were the ultimate treat, and I was sorely disappointed that I was not allowed to indulge in these sugary and wonderful toaster pastries.
Now that I’m an adult, I completely understand my mom’s food rules. I appreciate that she made us eat fruits and vegetables, and taught us how to make healthy choices. To this day, I don’t like white bread and I don’t drink soda (save for the occasional Mexi-Coke with tacos. Mmmm…).
But, that doesn’t mean that I don’t have my vices. I LOVE sugar. If I let myself, I would eat Salsa Verde Doritos every single day. And, I still have a weakness for Toaster Strudels. They’re warm and buttery pockets of sugary goodness, and they come with a packet of frosting so that you can slather icing all over the warm strudel. I’m sorry, it doesn’t get much better than that.
So, when I saw a recipe for homemade apple toaster strudels, I knew I had to make them. And, since they’re homemade they’re totally good for you right? That’s what I’m telling myself, anyway.
p.s. I made these toaster strudels weeks ago, before our little one was born. It’s just taken me this long to get around to editing photos and writing a post!
p.p.s. Apparently I suck at frosting toaster strudels. The frosting tasted great, but looked pretty stupid. We all have our strengths, and apparently icing toaster strudels is not one of mine.
Ingredients
- For the crust:
- 2 sheets of puff pastry (1 box), thawed
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- For the filling:
- 3 apples, peeled and cored
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- For the cream cheese icing:
- 4 ounces cream cheese
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- To make the filling, first grate the apples using a cheese grater or food processor. In a skillet or saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. When the butter is melted, stir in the grated apples. Add the brown sugars, flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture is thick and reduced (about 10-15 minutes). Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat.
- Working on a well-floured surface, roll out one sheet of puff pastry into a large, thin rectangle – about 10″x14″. (Note: puff pastry can be very sticky, so be sure to flour as necessary.) Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut into 8 rectangles (3.5″x5″).
- Using a spatula, transfer 4 of the rectangles to a prepared baking sheet. Place 2 tablespoons of the apple filling in the center of each rectangle and spread across the pastry, leaving about a 1/2″ of space along the edge. Brush the other 4 pastry rectangles with the egg wash. Next, place an egg-washed piece of pastry atop a filled rectangle (egg-side down). Using your fingers, or a fork, firmly seal all the edges. Continue with the rest of the rectangles. Prick each with a fork or knife several times. Brush the top of each strudel with a bit of egg wash. Repeat this step with the second sheet of puff pastry.
- Bake the strudels until puffy and golden brown, about 35 minutes. Cool for a few minutes before frosting and eating. Best served warm!
- To make the cream cheese icing: beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract together until mixture is fluffy and well-combined. Frost the strudels with a knife, piping bag, or a Ziploc bag with a small hole cut in one corner.
Notes
Adapted from The Kitchn
http://rosemarried.co/2014/11/14/homemade-apple-toaster-strudels/