I had some success making filo pastry for apple strudel with a mixture consisting of flour, olive oil, lemon juice and white vinegar. The result was actually quite nice except the pastry was very delicate. I made the dough very thin using a pasta machine. I am wondering what would happen to the pastry if I used an egg. I am thinking it might be more crunchy... due to the egg introducing more protein fibers. What do you think?
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Are you asking about filo, or about strudel dough? Not the same recipe.– FuzzyChefMay 26, 2021 at 17:10
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I am interested to learn of course but I always associated filo with strudel. The distinction is very much food for thought :) masterclass.com/articles/how-to-make-phyllo-dough-apple-strudel– user8369515May 26, 2021 at 17:17
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1per my answer below, if you search on "strudel dough" you'll find a bunch of recipes that include an egg.– FuzzyChefMay 26, 2021 at 17:18
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I saw a few recipes... this was more like my own rendition, so probably I should call it something else :) I went for the pasta machine as I did not have the confidence to try to stretch out the dough. The result is very thin and quite easy and predictable if you are used to the machine. There is also the option to stretch after rolling out the dough. Definitely, can see there will be a merit for avoiding addition of olive oil. I might try with egg white :)– user8369515May 26, 2021 at 17:27
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The idea to add vinegar and lemon juice came from examples I found but in terms of the chemistry I cannot see what impact this has, other than possibly leaving elements that have preservative action ... might omit this also :)– user8369515May 26, 2021 at 17:31
2 Answers
In my personal experience, adding eggs to dough makes it softer, not crunchier. Adding an egg makes it an "enriched dough" that has the ability to hold onto moisture despite being baked.
Many apple strudel dough recipes include an egg or two in the dough, so you should just go for it.
Finally, while strudel dough is very similar to filo, it is not the same thing, which may be causing some confusion for you. Per one baking blog:
So the difference is simple, it's the fat! In the Puff Pastry the butter is folded in, in the Strudel dough the oil is part of the dough from the beginning and the Phyllo dough is brushed with oil before being baked.
So per your question, strudel dough sometimes includes an egg, whereas filo (phyllo) never does.
While it is possible to add an egg, it isn't a very promising idea. If what you like about phylo pastry is its traditional texture, then the easiest way to get it is to use the tried-and-known methods to make it, instead of doing random experiments.
So first about the egg: the yolk would be a no-go, it will make the pastry softer and less crunchy. Adding an egg white (or rather replacing some of the water with egg white) would be something to try, since egg whites do produce a drier result, but you will still be moving away from the standard phylo texture, even if you do achieve some kind of crunchy.
As for making a crunchy strudel, you don't need any complicated recipe. A standard phylo has flour and water, nothing else. I would certainly search for a recipe without oil if you have problems with crunchiness, since it softens the dough. The acid is also not needed - if you have problems with insufficient gluten development, just knead properly, rather than trying to adjust with acid. It probably won't hurt if you want to keep it, but my personal preference would be to choose a simpler recipe for learning the basics before switching to something with higher complexity.
Once you have made the dough, all you need for crunchiness is thin enough sheets (I would be suspicious of that pasta machine) and sufficient fat, both inside the dough sheet and on top of the rolled strudel (the taste is better if you place pieces of butter on top instead of sprinkling with oil). This ensures that the outer layers of the pastry get quasi-fried in the oven, making them crunchy. It is normal for the inner layers to stay soft, especially if you have a dairy-based filling or something on the wet side.
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Importantly, the OP is actually asking about strudel dough and not filo, per the question. May 26, 2021 at 17:07
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