Apfelstrudel

Ingredients

Strudel dough

• 250 g strong white flour (high gluten)
• 1 egg (large)
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 130 ml warm water
• ½ teaspoon salt
• A little extra oil (for resting)

Apple filling

• 1.2 kg tart apples (Bramley, Granny Smith, or Boskoop; peeled, cored)
• 100 g caster sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 lemon (zest)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 80 g raisins (soaked in 3 tablespoons rum or apple juice for 30 minutes)
• 60 g walnuts (roughly chopped)

Breadcrumb buttering

• 100 g unsalted butter
• 100 g fine fresh white breadcrumbs

To assemble and finish

• 80 g unsalted butter (melted; for brushing)
• 2 tablespoons icing sugar (for dusting)

Method

Stage 1 - Make the dough

1. In a bowl, whisk the flour and salt.
2. Beat the egg, oil and warm water together.
3. Pour into the flour; mix to a sticky dough.
4. Turn out and knead vigorously for 10 minutes; slap the dough against the work surface every few seconds. It transforms from sticky to silky and elastic.
5. Shape into a ball; brush with oil; cover with a warm bowl.
6. Rest 30 minutes (room temperature). This relaxes the gluten so it can stretch.

Stage 2 - Filling preparation

1. Slice half the apples thinly; coarsely grate the other half (the grated apple sets the filling so it doesn't soak the pastry).
2. Toss in a bowl with the sugar, cinnamon, lemon zest, lemon juice.
3. Drain the raisins; add with the walnuts. Set aside.
4. Melt the 100 g butter in a wide pan; add the breadcrumbs.
5. Toast over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring, until golden and smelling nutty. Cool.

Stage 3 - Stretch the dough

1. Spread a large clean cotton cloth (about 80 x 60 cm) on a table. Dust generously with flour.
2. Roll the rested dough out on the cloth to a rectangle about 40 x 30 cm.
3. Now stretch: slide your floured hands palm-down underneath the dough. Use the backs of your hands to gently pull it outward from underneath, working all around the edges.
4. Keep going until the dough is so thin you can see the cloth weave through it (60 x 50 cm or larger). It's allowed to tear at the edges; trim later.
5. Brush the surface with melted butter.

Stage 4 - Fill and roll

1. Heat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Line a large tray with parchment.
2. Scatter the toasted breadcrumbs over the dough, leaving 10 cm clear at the top edge and 5 cm clear at the sides.
3. Pile the apple mixture in a long ridge along the bottom edge (10 cm from the bottom).
4. Fold the bottom edge of dough over the filling.
5. Fold the side flaps in over the ends.
6. Using the cloth as a sling, roll the strudel away from you tightly, like a sleeping bag, into a long log.
7. Roll onto the lined tray, seam-side down. Curve into a horseshoe if it's too long for the tray.

Stage 5 - Bake

1. Brush the strudel generously with melted butter.
2. Bake 30-35 minutes, brushing with more butter twice during baking, until deep golden and crackly.
3. Cool 15 minutes (the pastry crisps as it cools; cutting hot makes it gummy).

Stage 6 - Serve

1. Dust thickly with icing sugar.
2. Slice on a slight diagonal; expect a few crumbs (that's right).