Chasing Strudel Dreams in Vienna: A Pastry Lover’s Tale

Do you ever plan your travels around food? For me, it’s a resounding yes! My journeys revolve around my taste buds and the cravings of my belly, and last week, they led me to Vienna—the pastry capital that dreams are made of.

Vienna is a city steeped in history, culture, and yes, desserts. From Sachertorte to Kaiserschmarrn it’s a haven for pastry enthusiasts. But my mission? To experience Wiener Apfelstrudel (Viennese apple strudel) in its most authentic form.

Not only did I get to savor it at the elegant Gerstner Café within the opulent Schönbrunn Palace, but I also snagged a spot in their strudel-making workshop. Picture this: me, rolling up my sleeves, channeling my inner pastry chef, and helping craft one of Austria’s most iconic desserts. To say it was a dream come true is an understatement. I’m now just waiting for the official job offer... Gerstner, call me! 😜

The Art of Apfelstrudel

Here’s what I learned: making Apfelstrudel is an art form. The pastry dough is so delicate it’s said you should be able to read a newspaper through it. And trust me, this isn’t your average windowpane bread test—this is next-level thinness. Using your fingers, forearms, and yes, even elbows, you carefully stretch the dough much like you would pizza, but with far more finesse (which I admittedly lack).

Once stretched to near-transparency, it’s laid over a strudel cloth—yes, that’s a thing! Then comes the fun part: loading it up with over 1kg of cooked apples, cinnamon sugar, rum-soaked raisins, and breadcrumbs. Rolling it up feels like handling a pastry treasure, and the final touch? A generous brushing of melted butter before it bakes to golden perfection.

The moment it’s ready, the aroma is pure heaven—a buttery, cinnamon-infused cloud that envelops you completely.

Takeaways and Tiny Regrets

Was it intimidating? Absolutely. Am I ready to try it again? Without a doubt! Stretching that delicate dough felt like a high-stakes operation, but the workshop made it feel more approachable and, dare I say, fun. My only regret? Not walking away with the Gerstner-branded apron. (Is it an obsession if I have ten aprons already? Asking for a friend...)

Ready to Try It Yourself?

If you’re feeling inspired to bring a taste of Vienna into your kitchen, here’s the original Gerstner recipe. Trust me, it’s worth the effort, and your home will smell like a pastry shop by the end.

Let me know if you give it a go—and don’t forget to send me photos of your strudel masterpieces!

Until my next food-fueled adventure,
Your pastry-loving travel buddy 💕

GERSTNERS ORIGINAL VIENNESE APPLE STRUDEL RECIPE

Strudel dough: 250g plain flour type 480, 2g salt, 1 egg, 100g lukewarm water, 20g vegetable oil.

Knead the ingredients into a soft dough until the dough can be easily removed from the hands and the table. Form the dough into a ball, brush with the oil and let it rest for 20 - 30 minutes. Roll out the dough into a rectangle on the floured strudel cloth and gradually stretch it out very thinly.

Filling: 8 Granny Smith apples (approx. 900g), juice of one lemon, zest of the lemon, 90g sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 160g breadcrumbs, 40g melted butter, 160g rum raisins

Peel the apples, remove the core and cut into slices. Add the juice of one lemon and some lemon zest. Brown the breadcrumbs in the melted butter. Add the butter crumbs to the apple mixture. At the end, mix in the rum raisins.

Instructions: Spread the apple strudel filling on the first third of the stretched dough and roll it up carefully with the cloth. Brush with melted butter and roll the strudel onto a buttered baking tray. Bake until golden brown at around 200 °C.

Tip: After baking, brush with melted butter and sprinkle with icing sugar before cutting.