Apple strudel

Ingredients

• 5 Granny Smith apples, coarsely chopped
• 120 gm fine fresh white breadcrumbs
• 90 gm brown sugar
• 60 gm seedless raisins
• 40 ml golden rum
• 1 tbsp plain flour
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 50 gm butter, melted
• To serve: vanilla bean ice-cream
• For dusting: pure icing sugar, sieved
• Strudel dough
• 300 gm "00" flour (see note)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

Instructions

1. 1

   1.: For strudel dough, combine flour and 1 tsp salt in a bowl, form a well in the centre, add 200ml lukewarm water, then add oil and stir until dough comes together. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and slightly tacky (8-10 minutes). Place in a lightly oiled bowl, turn to coat, cover and set aside to rest (1 hour).

2. 2

   2.: Meanwhile, combine apples, breadcrumbs, sugar, raisins, rum, flour, lemon juice and cinnamon in a bowl and toss to combine.

3. 3

   3.: Preheat oven to 180°C. Place dough on a lightly floured sheet or tablecloth on a table or island bench, brush with one quarter of the melted butter and roll out to a 20cm x 30cm rectangle. Gently stretch edges evenly with your hands until dough measures about 90cm x 120cm. Carefully place your hands, palms upwards, under one side of dough and gently pull and stretch, working your way around dough, into a translucent piece about 80cm x 160cm. Trim thick edges with scissors (discard), then dip pastry brush in melted butter and flick half remaining butter over dough. Scatter apple mixture across one short end of dough in a strip about 68cm x 7cm, leaving a 6cm border on long edges. Starting from the apple-covered end, and using the sheet or tablecloth for support, carefully roll dough to form a cylinder. Trim ends and tuck tightly under strudel to seal. Roll onto a piece of baking paper and slide onto a large baking tray. Brush with remaining melted butter and bake until golden and cooked through (25-30 minutes). Dust with icing sugar and serve hot or warm with vanilla ice-cream.