Bavarian Style Apple Strudel (Apfel Strudel)

Apple strudel is synonymous with Germany, but there are many variations in other countries (such as Austria). My mother's roots are from Bavaria, and so I wanted to create the Apfel Strudel of my childhood memories. Authentic apple strudel dough is a laborious and painstaking process of rolling the dough paper thin-- so thin you could read a newspaper through it. This recipe takes a shortcut, by using prepared, frozen puff pastry. In Bavaria, neither bread crumbs nor nuts are used in the filling. Instead, I used fresh apples and golden raisins, with a delicate balance of cinnamon and sugar. This is much easier to make than you would imagine. It's delicious, freshly baked and served warm with fresh whipped cream as an added bonus.