Apple strudel

Babiche Martens

I have recreated here one of the sweet treats I enjoyed on a cycling holiday in Italy. As we got close to the Austrian border in the Dolomites, strudel with warm custard was the go-to dessert. This dish is pure indulgence. We ate it mid-cycle on a scorching-hot summer’s day. It had golden raisins soaked in rum with a mix of pine nuts, lashings of apple and light strudel dough.

Dough

50 g	Butter, melted
⅓ cup	Warm water
1 tsp	Lemon juice
1 ½ cups	All-purpose flour (Main)
1 pinch	Salt

Filling

½ cup	Raisins, I used golden raisins (Main)
⅓ cup	Rum (Main)
5 medium	Apples, peeled and cored (Main)
½ cup	Sugar
2 Tbsp	Lemon juice
1 tsp	Cinnamon (Main)
½ cup	Pine nuts, toasted (Main)
½ cup	Melted butter
¼ cup	Dried breadcrumbs (Main)
1 sprinkle	Icing sugar, for dusting, you want a liberal coating

Directions

1. Soak the raisins in the rum for 1 hour, then drain.
2. To make the dough, place the butter, water and lemon juice into a large bowl. Using a wooden spoon stir in half the flour and salt, add the remaining flour to form the dough. Place on to a lightly floured bench and knead for 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place into a lightly oiled bowl, cover and rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour or up to 4.
3. Preheat oven to 200C.
4. For the filling, cut the apples into small batons and place into a bowl. Add the raisins, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and pine nuts, stirring through.
5. Lie a clean towel on the bench, topped with baking paper and lightly dusted with flour. Roll the dough as thin as possible to a 30 x 40cm rectangle. Brush with butter and sprinkle over the breadcrumbs.
6. Strain any juice from the apples or the strudel will become soggy. Place them along the long side of the dough leaving a 3cm border. Fold in the sides, brush with butter, then use the tea towel and the paper to help roll the strudel. Transfer on to a baking tray.
7. Brush with more butter before placing into the oven for 45 minutes until golden. Brush every 15 minutes while cooking.
8. Remove and cool slightly before serving. Dust liberally with icing sugar and serve warm with custard. This will reheat beautifully.

More of Angela's Italian holiday treats

• Almond, mascarpone and strawberry gelato
• Caramel nut tarts