Paper-thin stretched strudel pastry wrapped around a creamy, lightly tangy quark filling enriched with egg, sour cream and lemon. Served warm with vanilla sauce, it is lighter and less sweet than its apple cousin.
Heir to the Ottoman-influenced thin-pastry tradition that reached Vienna through the Habsburg empire, Topfenstrudel is the Viennese cake-house's quietly beloved alternative to Apfelstrudel. Locals often prize its warm, custardy quark centre above the more famous apple version.
The crackly, butter-glazed pastry gives way to a warm, soft quark filling that is creamy and gently tart, like a baked cheesecake without the heaviness. The lemon lifts it and the vanilla sauce pools around each slice.
Stretching the high-gluten dough aligns its protein into a thin, elastic sheet that bakes crisp. The quark's curds set with egg into a soft, custard-like filling, while sour cream and lemon balance richness with tang.
Variations
with raisins, with semolina to firm the filling, milk-poured Milchrahmstrudel style, lemon-forward version
On the Palate
Where Topfenstrudel sits in the Austrian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 8
How it's made
8 steps · 40 min
- 150 min
Knead flour, a little oil, warm water and salt into a smooth dough; rest it covered for 45 minutes.
- 28 min
Beat softened quark with egg yolks, sugar, sour cream, lemon zest and vanilla until creamy.
- 35 min
Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold them gently into the quark mixture.
Watch outFold the stiff whites into the quark gently, keeping the air in — that trapped air is what sets the filling soft and custardy instead of dense.
- 412 min
On a floured cloth, stretch the dough by hand until paper-thin and translucent.
Watch outStretch the dough over the backs of your hands until it's paper-thin and you can read print through it — that thinness is what bakes into shatter-crisp layers.
- 56 min
Brush with melted butter, spread the quark filling along one edge and scatter optional raisins.
- 64 min
Using the cloth, roll the strudel up snugly and tuck in the ends.
Watch outRoll it up snug with the cloth, no gaps — a loose roll lets the filling pool and leak, and the layers won't hold their spiral.
- 735 min
Transfer to a tray, brush with butter and bake at 190C until golden, about 35 minutes.
- 82 min
Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm with vanilla sauce.
