Apple strudel and bread from South Tyrol

Quality you can taste

Bread and apple strudel with the South Tyrolean seal of quality

A crispy crust, a soft crumb, and that absolutely sublime taste of freshly baked bread: our bread producers give their very best every day when baking the typical South Tyrolean bread. And what would South Tyrol/Südtirol be without its traditional apple strudel?
Since 2005, South Tyrolean bread and South Tyrolean apple strudel have been qualified to bear the South Tyrolean seal of quality. Bakers must comply with very strict quality criteria to maintain the quality seal.

What are the most important quality criteria?

At least 75 percent of the flour must consist of South Tyrolean grain
Preparation according to traditional recipes and methods of South Tyrolean bakeries

Apples and butter are sourced from the region
Margarine is not allowed

Only natural ingredients are used
At least 60 percent of the ingredients must be sourced from the region
Preservatives, flavour enhancers and other chemical additives are not permitted
Subject to regular checks by an independent inspection authority

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South Tyrolean bread and apple strudel in numbers

Approx. 50

farmers cultivate about 350 tons of South Tyrolean grain across more than 85 hectares.

Approx. 20

bakeries and pastry shops bake bread and bakery specialities with the South Tyrolean seal of quality.

Approx. 15

bakeries and pastry shops produce apple strudel with the South Tyrolean seal of quality.

Approx. 85,000

kilograms of apple strudel with the South Tyrolean seal of quality are purchased by consumers every year.

kilometres is the length of all apple strudels baked if they were all lined up in a row! That’s equivalent to the distance from Bolano/Bozen to Meran/Merano.

of all South Tyrolean apple strudels are prepared with shortcrust.

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How is South Tyrolean bread baked?

The bread varieties of South Tyrol have a history that goes back centuries. Even today, bread bearing the South Tyrolean seal of quality is being made based on the old recipes and traditional all-natural processes. Each bakery has its own recipes and family secrets.

According to the guidelines and criteria of the South Tyrolean seal of quality, the baking process for South Tyrolean bread allows only natural leavening agents such as yeast or natural sourdough. (The sourdough is, of course, made in-house.) The result: an intense and aromatic bread flavour and a juicy crumb. In addition, sourdough bread is widely considered to be easier to digest and to last longer.

Among the most popular South Tyrolean bread varieties is the “Vinschgerle” bread, traditionally made with sourdough and seasoned with caraway seed, blue fenugreek or “bread clover”, and fennel. 70 % of the dough is made from rye flour, with whole wheat flour and spelt flour subsequently mixed in. The original “Vinschger Ur-Paarl” bread, however, is still made from 100 % rye flour in keeping with the old tradition. It is usually eaten at breakfast with butter and South Tyrolean jam or as an afternoon snack (“Marende”).

What's in South Tyrolean apple strudel?

Apple strudel with the South Tyrolean seal of quality gets its taste from a variety of natural flavours and ingredients such as apples, sultanas, pinoli pine nuts, cinnamon and other spices, sugar, crumbs, nuts or almonds and butter. All ingredients are natural and together form one of the region’s most typical desserts: South Tyrolean apple strudel.