What to do with failed strudel dough

[dridr]

Tried to make an apple strudel today - one of the batches of dough just wouldn't cooperate and stretch out - Does anyone have any suggestions as to what to do with failed strudel dough that won't thin out and stays thick? Many thanks in advance

[rainey]

I'm so impressed that you're trying to stretch your own dough!

I just use filo. Perfect every time.

[rainey]

Are you letting the dough rest sufficiently?

[todao]

Inasmuch as you've tried to prepare it yourself, I assume you already have instructions on how to rest the dough initially and at various periods throughout the stretching process. It's very labor intensive and takes a great deal of acquired skill (more than stretching pizza dough) to get it right.
With the oil in stead of butter it probably wouldn't make a good pie dough, besides it'll have goo much gluten development to work well in a pie. I suppose you could add some yeast and form a loaf for a unique bread like a Naan perhaps?

[dridr]

Thanks for everyone's reply - I've made the dough a few times - always in batches of two with a failure rate of about 20% - not that I've gotten to that elusive paper thin stage, but I keep on practicing. It just goes against my grain to have to throw away that dough when it gets too many holes and won't cooperate. Perhaps I could follow todao's suggestion and add some yeast to see what happens...I'll report back when I do

[rainey]

My mom used to make something like rugelach out of leftover pie crust. I suspect you could do something like that.

Pat the dough into a disk or a couple disks depending on just how much you have. Chill it if that seems necessary to make it workable. Roll it out relatively thin. Sprinkle on cinnamon sugar, chopped nuts, chocolate chips, small raisins or currants or whatever you can think of. Or spread it with a fruity jam or preserves (just try to minimize the high-sugar content stuff that will leak out and burn). Cut it into wedges. Roll each wedge from the wide edge to the point. Transfer to a baking sheet with the exposed point down. You could bake them that way or curl the long edges into crescents. Brush with some cream or an egg yolk glaze or even eggnog if you're using some up and it works with the filling. Sprinkle on a little cinnamon sugar.

Bake in a hot oven until they're flaky.

My mom used to just use cinnamon sugar. When I was little I thought this was a whole bigger deal than whatever pie she was making. And not terribly different than bite-sized streudels when you come to think about it.

[dridr]

Rainey: reading your entry reminded me of a similar cookie my mom used to make. It sounds like its worth a try. (although I know that it'll never be as good as mom's). Thanks for the suggestion.