Around the World, Germany. Mini Apple Cakes Topped with Strudel and Pretzels

As usual these aren't authentic recipes but ones with my twist on them. I know I could research and post somebody else's recipe but I feel a bit of a phoney doing that. So here we go. The apple cake comes from a big apple cake that my aunty Helen has been making for as long as I can remember. I divided it by 12, used brown sugar instead of white and added sultanas and cinnamon to give it a twist. I thought the nice topping of filo with chopped hazelnuts, cinnamon and butter would be good and it is. I love them! If you give them a go please post and let me know what you think.

Secondly, I've been waiting to make pretzels for ages. I can't walk past one of those stalls at Westfield without stopping, in fact I was driving home from London the other day and contemplated making a detour just to get one! Thankfully my greediness was recognised by myself quickly enough for me to drive on.

Apple and Strudel Mini Cakes
100g  Soft brown sugar
100g unsalted softened butter
200g S/R Flour
2 eggs
4 dessert apples peeled, cored and diced
A handful of sultanas (can be presoaked in calvados and drained)
1 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp milk

Topping:
6 sheets of filo
2 tsp grond cinnamon
100g melted butter
100g chopped hazelnuts
Icing sugar to dust                                           preheat the oven to 170

In a freestanding machine or with a hand-whisk mix together the sugar, butter and eggs. Next mix in the flour and cinnamon. Then fold in the apples and sultanas, add the milk to slacken, spoon into well greased 12 hole muffin tin. Brush a sheet filo pastry with the melted butter on both sides. Sprinkle with nuts and cinnamon and fold in half. Tear in two and scrunch into 2 balls and pop onto the cake batter. Repeat with the other 5 sheets. Bake in a preheated oven for about 25- 30 minutes, Place onto a wire rack to cool and dust liberally with icing sugar.

Pretzels
Ok so I've let you all into another of my guilty pleasures. I am a glutton I know but I suppose that old saying, 'you can never trust a skinny cook' and all that!

200g Plain flour
300g Strong white bread flour
8g salt (I use rock)
7g easy blend yeast
10g soft brown sugar
200ml warm water
170 ml warm milk
40g melted butter
Water bath
A mixing bowl half filled with water and 2 tbsp baking powder whisked in

Topping:
1 egg
100g melted butter
2tbsp ground cinnamon mixed with 100g icing sugar                       Preheat the oven 210


I put the flour's, salt, sugar and yeast into my Kitchenaid fitted with the bread-hook. Then in a jug mix the butter with the water and milk, turn on the machine and slowly add the liquid. Knead on the hook for about 8 minutes or by hand for 12. Leave to double in size in an oiled bowl. Mine took about 80 minutes. Knock back and divide the dough into 14 equal pieces, shape into pretzel shapes, dip into the water bath and place onto prepared baking trays. Leave to stand for 10 minutes, brush with the beaten egg. Bake in a preheated oven for 8-12 minutes, cool on a wire rack until handheld warm, dip into the melted butter and then sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.