Hints for Success with Strudel Dough

Appears in

Published 1990

Always use unbleached all-purpose flour in the following strudel recipe. It has a higher protein content than bleached all-purpose flour, an important factor in developing the necessary degree of gluten.
Make sure the flour is not compressed when you measure it, which could result in too much flour and a tough, overly elastic dough that is difficult to pull. Fluff up the flour with a spoon, then spoon the flour into a measuring cup before leveling it off with a straight-edged spatula.
Measure the liquid for the dough carefully, using a glass measuring cup.
After kneading and pounding the dough, form it into an evenly shaped ball and make sure the entire surface of the dough is oiled after turning it over in the oiled bowl — dry patches on the dough will result in tearing later on during the pulling.
If the dough resists while you are pulling it, stop for a few minutes and allow the dough to rest briefly before continuing to pull.