Gluten Free Apple Strudel

Ingredients:

For the Dough:
• 1 recipe Gluten Free Puff Pastry
For the Filling:
• 5 Gala or other apples, peeled, cored, and cut into eight wedges
• 1 cup sugar (or to taste)
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon (optional)
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• Splash of lemon juice**
For the Vanilla Sauce:
• 6 Tablespoons sugar, (or less, to taste)
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups milk, of your choice (I used non-fat)
• 4 large egg yolks
• 2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Instructions:

To Make the Dough:
1. Follow the instructions at the above link in the ingredient list.
To Make the Pastry:
2. On a silicone mat, sprinkle a large sheet of parchment paper with powdered sugar; remove chilled dough from the refrigerator; transfer dough to powdered parchment paper; baste top of dough with melted butter; cut in half; stack buttered sides together.

3. Dust the dough with powdered sugar; top with parchment paper; roll out to about 16 x 17-inches, moving the top sheet of parchment paper where needed; refrigerate while you make the filling, but not for long.
To Make the Filling:
4. Using the thinnest possible setting on the KitchenAid 13-Cup Food Processor, stack the apple wedges in the medium-sized pusher; push through with an easy, steady pressure, slicing to 1/8-inch thick.

5. In a large, microwave-proof bowl, melt butter in microwave; add sugar, salt, cinnamon, and lemon juice or cream of tartar; stir until blended; add sliced apples; toss with hands until well distributed; set aside.
To Assemble:
6. If you'd like to make the braid-like dough, slice the very ends of the dough on the left and right sides in strips about 1/2 to 3/4-inches long about 1/4 way into the dough sheet.
7. Add the filling along the center of the dough to cover "almost" half the width of the dough; sprinkle with additional cinnamon, if desired.

8. Using the parchment paper, roll up one side to the center of the filling; bring over the other side; If using strips, bring one strip over the filling, and place it downward. Alternate sides, placing the strips downward and overlapping each other. If not using strips, pinch seam closed and smooth. Trim ends to even out and remove excess dough, leaving enough to fold and close. Set aside trimmings; turn edges upwards; smooth with fingers to seal; and patch any cracks with dough trimmings.

9. Preheat oven to 400°F preheated oven.
10. Baste top with remaining melted butter. If not using strips, slice 6 – 12 slits in the top of the dough, across the width of the top of the strudel. (This prevents the crust from softening due to steam, prevents the dough from bursting, and the filling from leaking out of the crust.)

11. Bake for about 20 minutes.
12. Remove from oven; allow to cool for about 20 minutes on baking sheet; either top with powdered sugar; slice and serve, or slice and serve topped with vanilla sauce, whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream.
13. Apple strudel freezes well. Just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap; insert it into a freezer bag; begin to close the freezer bag, but leave a tiny spot open; insert a straw part way into the bag; seal the surrounding areas with your fingers; with the straw, suck out all the excess air from the bag; and seal closed. This method is works well for freezing other food, as well.!To Make the Vanilla Sauce:
14. Whip egg yolks lightly in a small bowl; set aside.
15. Melt butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat; add sugar, cornstarch, and salt; stir to combine; slowly add milk while continuing to stir; cook covered until bubbles appear on top, stirring often.
16. Add about 1/2 cup of milk mixture to egg yolks to temper; stir; pour egg mixture back into sauce pan; whisk continuously; increase temperature to medium-high; stir until thickened.
17. Store left over sauce covered in refrigerator. To rewarm heat in sauce pan or microwave. It tends to thin as it cools. You may wish to add a bit of milk and cornstarch and reheat on stove, or use as is.

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