Today I want to propose a light sweet treat that surprised me at how well it turned out, the mini apple and cinnamon strudels. The pastry is made with rice paper or edible rice sheets which are now easily found even in Italy, and this is my first experiment. Besides being light, they are vegan and gluten-free: they disappeared quickly here at home!
Rice paper can be found in ethnic stores or well-stocked supermarkets and is made only with rice or tapioca flour and water. Once rehydrated, it becomes malleable and is suitable for preparing filled packets or rolls, sweet or savory. The packets, depending on the filling, can be cooked or even eaten raw. Rice paper is typical of Vietnamese cuisine (original name: bánh tráng): you can make the famous spring rolls but also the Vietnamese summer rolls with various fillings and mixed vegetables for a very light and tasty snack.
To make these mini sweet strudels, I used the classic filling with apples and cinnamon with a little sugar and cooked them in an air fryer, but you can also use the oven. They are truly delicious, disappeared in no time: my boys devoured them! Let’s see how to prepare them…
Some similar fruity treats:
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Air Fryer, Oven
- Cuisine: Vegan
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients
- 1 apple (large)
- 4 sheets rice paper
- 10 g coconut sugar (or whole cane sugar)
- 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil (1 measuring teaspoon)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 lemon (juice only)
- 1 tsp powdered sugar (optional, for decoration)
- Total points = 6 WW points
- Points for 1 mini strudel = 1.5 WW points
- Points for 2 mini strudels = 3 WW points
Tools
- Plates
- Small Bowl
- Brush
- Air Fryer
- Cooling Rack
Steps
Peel the apple, core it, and slice it. Mix with the coconut or cane sugar, cinnamon, and also with the lemon juice to prevent the apple from browning too much and to give more flavor to our sweet filling. Set aside.
Pour a little water into a deep plate larger than the rice paper sheets, I used a ceramic tray. Dip a rice paper sheet and leave it to soak for about 1 minute so it softens enough to fold without breaking. Some use hot water but I used cold from the tap and it worked great for me. Gently lift the sheet from the water letting it drain and place it on the work surface.
Place some apple slices on the rice paper, at the bottom, leaving space also at the sides as you see in the photo. Fold the bottom edge upwards first, then the two sides towards the center, and finally roll up gently. If the rice paper tears a bit, it’s not a problem, just overlap the two slightly torn edges and roll: the water will make them stick together.
Once rolled, leave the opening facing down. Here is how the mini strudel will look before cooking: the rice paper is transparent, and you can see the filling: cool, right? Shape the other 3 mini strudels the same way.
Preheat the oven to 428°F if static or 392°F if fan-assisted. Lightly grease a baking tray and place the rolls inside. Brush the surface gently with the oil: one teaspoon of oil will be enough for 4 pieces. Bake for about 25-30 minutes in the center of the oven, turning the mini strudels several times during cooking.
In this case, I recommend using the baking tray provided with the air fryer if you have one like mine in the photo, or any tray, even silicone, that fits into the basket. Lightly grease the tray you will use, place the rolls inside, and brush them gently with the oil. Cook them at 356°F-392°F for about 20 minutes, turning them now and then.
When they are nicely golden, remove the mini strudels from the tray and let them cool on a cooling rack.
And here the mini sweet strudels with apples and cinnamon are ready. A sprinkle of powdered sugar and the snack is served… and what a lovely aroma for the house!
I don’t know how to describe the texture of these sweets. The edges stay crispy while the rest of the wrap, being made of rice flour and not fried, is a bit chewy, but a good chewy. In English, there’s a specific word for it: chewy, which is like “chewable” more than gummy. So you won’t be able to eat them in two bites but will have to chew them well, which, for us who are on a diet, is ideal!
And here at home, I managed to eat half, and the rest was fought over by my son and the Dutchman, who are waiting for me to make them again… And what are you waiting for?
Enjoy!
by Giovanna Buono
Notes
Source used for this recipe: Baked apple pie rice paper rolls
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
What can I use instead of rice paper?
If you don’t have gluten issues, you can certainly use either phyllo dough or light pastry (make sure it’s vegan). In that case, however, you will need to count the Weight Watchers points because they will be different.
How long do they keep?
You can certainly keep them for up to 3 days out of the fridge, but the texture will change; they tend to soften, so I wouldn’t recommend it.
What can I use instead of apple?
I have only made them with apple. If you want to use other fruits, I recommend fruits that don’t soften too much during cooking, like banana. I haven’t tried it, but I think mango might work too!
