Mom's Homemade Apple Strudel

My dad loves apple strudel and lucky for him my mom makes one of the best ones out there. We make it every fall, usually with apples from my cousins tree. Here's the recipe we use:

Mom's Apple Strudel

3 apples, cut into 1/2 inch cubes (approximately)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Juice from 1/2 a lemon

1/2 cup raisins

1/2 cup sugar 

5 sheet phyllo dough

1/2 stick butter, melted

1/3 cup sugar plus 1 tablespoon cinnamon for sprinkling

1/4 cup panko bread crumbs

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Vanilla ice cream (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine apples, cinnamon, lemon juice, raisins, and 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl. Cover with a damp paper towel.

2. Prepare phyllo for use as per package instructions. Keep dough not being used moist by wrapping it in a damp kitchen cloth (we used the excess cloth from the work station to keep the dough moist). On parchment paper or a thin, damp towel, lay down the first sheet of phyllo dough. Brush butter across the entire top of the sheet and top with 1 tablespoon each of chopped walnuts, panko, and cinnamon sugar. Lay the next sheet of phyllo dough on top of it and repeat until all 5 sheets of phyllo have been used.

3. After all 5 sheets have been laid down and buttered, drain off any extra juices from the apple mixture. Pour the apple mixture into the center of the phyllo rectangle leaving two inches of free space on the shorter sides of the dough and about 3-4 inches of space on the long sides.

4. Fold up the 2 inch short sides of the phyllo dough to keep the mixture within the rectangle. Fold over the long sides of the rectangle next, making sure to overlap all edges of the dough.

5. Seal the edges and ends with the melted butter, and place, seam side down, onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush top of strudel with melted butter and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar. Place onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, or until top of strudel is flaky and slightly browned.

6. Allow strudel to cool slightly then slice and serve while still warm.

Enjoy!