Apple Strudel

Apple Strudel was a delicate and complex process.  I have skipped over this recipe for a while, but because it contains such perfect autumn ingredients, I decided that today I would finally do it.

First, I layered sheets of filo dough brushed with melted butter.

Then I filled the dough with the good stuff: apples, lemon zest, cinnamon, raisins, sugar, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. 

This recipe made three rolls of strudel. I baked one off today and saved the other two for this weekend.  This one has cheddar cheese in it!  After placing the filling, I folded up the sides of the filo dough.

Then I rolled the whole thing up and brushed it with melted butter!

The strudel baked and baked, and started getting brown pretty quick. 

 

Next time I will cook it at a lower temperature for a little longer, as the outside was really done, but the apples were not completely soft. 

 

Cardamom Coffee Cake

Mmm, I do love a coffee cake! Cardamom Coffee Cake was dense and rich, spiced with cinnamon and cardamom. The original recipe called for 4 sticks of butter and 2 cups of brown sugar... yikes! I halved this recipe, filled two 9-inch cake pans, and the results were divine. I was worried that there would be trouble transferring the cake out of the pan, but the flip was executed beautifully.


Cardamom was a new spice for me; something I had never baked with before. It's quite aromatic and reminds me of ginger and roses. It definitely gave this cake a depth I had never experienced before. I can't wait to try some cardamom in drip coffee, per PCC's recommendation. Just sprinkle a little in with the grounds before you make drip coffee for an extra hint of spicy flavor!