Mini Pear Strudels with Whole Spelt Flour

Introduction

Recently, as I was debating which recipe to share related to spelt, I saw an excellent video on making authentic Italian style strudel.

I used to think that strudel was made with many sheets of phyllo dough and lots of oil.

But no, this Italian strudel was made with just one thin sheet of dough rolled on itself once, no oil brushed prior to rolling.

So I got to thinking, can I make a whole-food, plant-based version on this strudel using whole spelt flour?

As discussed in my previous post, spelt stands out for its beautiful stretchiness (aka extensibility) as well as its sturdiness.

A perfect combination for filled pastries such as strudel.

Spelt Flour Milling Tips

If you are starting out with spelt berries, you will want to mill the berries at the finest setting possible.

Micronizer Mill

Usually, that means using a micronizer mill at the finest setting.

Stone Mill

If you have a home stone mill, you may want to mill your berries twice.

Once at a medium setting and then again at the finest setting available before the stones touch.

This will ensure you get a flour as close to powder fine as possible.

High Speed Blender

If you are using a high speed blender, you are likely to get a coarser grind.

In that case, it will help to you rest your dough overnight to soften the bran as much as possible.

Weighing out the Berries

You will want to use slightly more berries than is needed for the recipe when using a grain mill.

This is because there will be some small amount of residual flour attached to the grain milling equipment.

As a rule of thumb, an extra 2 tablespoons of wheat berries is typically more than sufficient.

Making the Strudel Dough Whole-Food, Plant-Based

Making the spelt strudel dough whole-food, plant-based meant substituting coconut milk for the little oil used in making the whole spelt dough itself.

The coconut milk adds the necessary fat to this pastry as well as healthy nutrients.

Because the strudel sheets are so thin, the coconut flavor is barely noticeable and blends well with the fruity filling.

Apple cider vinegar is included to tenderize the bran and also further its stretchiness.

If you are looking to experiment, note that the spelt dough hydration level is 55% (.55 weight of liquid to 1 weight of flour, the same as what is used in the basic pasta recipe shared here.

Rolling out the Strudel Dough into Sheets

You can use a rolling pin or pasta machine to roll out the strudel sheets.

Pasta Machine Option

A pasta machine makes the process more uniform and faster.

For a step by step guide to using a pasta machine, please refer to this post.

Rolling Pin Option

I personally find that rolling out smaller sheets of thin dough with a rolling pin is more manageable than one large sheet and it doesn’t take much more time than using a pasta machine.

When using a rolling pin, you will want to flour your work surface and rolling pin well.

It will help to shape the dough roughly into a rectangle before you start rolling.

As you roll the dough out, it is helpful to turn the dough a quarter turn every few rolls so that dough stretches uniformly.

You want to get to a sheet thinness of .01 inches (.3 mm).

As a guide, the sheet should measure about 4½ inches by 9 inches (11.5 cm by 23 cm).

You can cut out a sheet of paper to that measurement to help you along.

The Strudel Filling Formula

Strudels can be made with any combination of fresh fruit with dried fruits and/or nuts.

Canned or frozen fruit could be used as well if needed.

Popular Filling Combinations

Some popular combinations are:

• Apple, raisins and walnuts
• Pineapple coconut
• Banana chocolate

You can use pretty much any fruit you like, as long as you can thicken the liquid down.

Here I used pear because they are currently in season.

You will want to use about a tablespoon of filling per mini strudel.

Dry Ingredient

You will also want to add a dry ingredient in the inside base of the strudel to prevent it from getting soggy.

I used store bought blanched almond flour as the dry ingredient because I had some on hand.

I also like knowing that in a pinch, I can save a trip to the store by making my own almond flour, with just raw almonds, a regular pantry item in our household.

Besides absorbing any extra liquid from the filling, the almond flour adds some flavor and boosts the protein content of the dessert.

You could use bread crumbs or crushed cookies as a substitute to the almond flour if you prefer.

Another option is to seal the inner base of the spelt dough with a thin layer of a mild flavored nut butter.

Sweetener

Raisins were included because they provide extra texture and natural sweetness.

For even more sweetness, you can add more dried fruit or any sweetener of your choice such as maple syrup.

Just remember to boil down the filling so that it is not too soggy.

Flavor Boosters

Lemon zest and juice were added to the pear filling.

Any citrus zest and juice would benefit the filling.

A flavorful liquor such as rum can be added as well.

Optional Sauce

The mini strudels can be eaten as-is on their own.

You can also serve them with a sauce such as vanilla, chocolate, raspberry or caramel.

Benefits of Mini Strudels

Mini strudels are a lot less messy to handle and excellent for potlucks and other group events.

You can also easily freeze the unbaked mini strudels and consume them later when you are craving a sweet treat.

Thaw for about an hour and then bake them, ideally in a smaller oven or an air fryer (instructions for air fryer baking provided in recipe below).

Where to Buy Spelt Berries and Flour

This blog post discusses the many options available for buying spelt.

Conclusion

So there you have it, a pantry friendly, flexible whole-food plant-based from scratch strudel formula to please your sweet tooth any time of year.

I hope this recipe tempts you to bake with whole spelt flour – chances are you will be pleasantly surprised by this ancient grain.