This simple and versatile quick puff pastry for strudel is better than any store-bought pre-made product. All you need is flour, a bit of lard, a little butter, and patience while rolling. The reward will be a strudel that smells of childhood and crunches so much that a smile will spread across your face at the very first bite.
Why make homemade puff pastry for strudel
✓ Fresh and without unnecessary additives ✓ Versatile – suitable for apple strudel as well as savory fillings ✓ Can be prepared in advance and kept in the fridge ✓ Flakes gently and crunches beautifully ✓ No complicated measuring of dough or demanding butter incorporation – even a beginner can handle it
Homemade puff pastry for strudel: Recipe
Servings: 1 larger strudel – 8 servings
Ingredients
– 300 g all-purpose flour – a pinch of salt – 150 ml cold water – 15 g lard – 80 g butter (melted and cooled) for brushing the dough
Preparation
1) Place the flour and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Add the cold water and lard, then work into a smooth dough. Cover with a tea towel and let rest for 20 minutes.
2) Roll the dough out into a large rectangle. Brush the surface with part of the butter and fold into thirds.
3) Repeat the process of rolling, brushing, and folding two more times.
4) Finally, roll the dough out into a sheet 2 to 3 mm thick. It is now ready to hold an apple filling or another favorite variation.
Work quickly, as cold dough is easier to handle. If you don't want to bake immediately, wrap the dough into a neat package in plastic wrap and keep in the fridge for a maximum of 2 days. Before rolling, let the chilled dough sit for a few minutes at room temperature to soften.
Variations / Seasonal twists
– For a sweet strudel, add a teaspoon of sugar to the dough. – For a savory strudel, you can add a pinch of pepper or herbs.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
– The dough sticks → dust with flour and work on a floured surface. – It doesn't form layers → ensure you complete all three folds with butter. – It is stiff → next time add a bit more water; it depends on the flour.
Storage
It is best to use the dough within 48 hours. If you need longer storage, freeze it after the first fold. That is, fold into a neat package and freeze. Thaw overnight in the fridge and continue processing in the usual way, i.e., brush twice with butter and fold.
Educational window: Štrúdl, štrůdl or závin?
Grammatically, only štrúdl is correct; the variation štrůdl is rather colloquial. Závin is the Czech name for pastry made from yeast, stretched, or puff pastry—it can be poppy seed, curd, cherry, or apple. Štrúdl is specifically the Viennese apple strudel made from stretched dough. Thus: every štrúdl is a závin, but not every závin is a štrúdl.
Related recipes: Classic apple strudel · apple strudel with caramel and sea salt · homemade caramel step by step
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