Pastries Dessert Recipes - Genuine Cherry Strudel Recipe

Ingredients

• 300g/2 3/4 cups plain (all-purpose) flour

• 2.5ml/1/2 tsp salt

• 1 egg, beaten

• 30ml/2 tbsp sunflower oil

• 120ml/1/2 cup lukewarm water

• 50g/1/4 cup butter, melted

For the filling

• 50g/1 cup cake crumbs

• 50g/1/2 cup ground almonds

• 900g/2 lb cherries, stoned

• 5ml/1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 175g/3/4 cup caster sugar

• icing sugar, sifted

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Method:

1. To make the dough, sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Add the egg and oil and mix with enough lukewarm water to form a ball.

2. Turn out on to a floured board and knead until smooth and elastic. Wrap loosely in Clingfilm (plastic wrap) and leave in the bowl for 1 hour to rest.

3. Place the dough on a large floured cloth (such as a tablecloth or sheet) and roll out to a rectangle about 5 mml1/4 in thick.

4. Then, using the knuckles, gently stretch the dough from the centre underneath until it is very large and wafer thin (don't worry if you make the odd hole). (If possible, work on a table that you can move all round, but you can use the cloth to turn to dough round to work the other side.)

5. Trim the edges to a rectangle about 60 x 40 cm/24 x 16 in and brush all over with melted butter.

6. To make the filling, mix the crumbs and almonds together and scatter over the surface. Mix the cherries with the cinnamon and caster sugar and spread over to within 5 cm/2 in of the edges.

7. Fold the edges in over the filling, then use the cloth to help roll up the strudel from one of the long sides. Transfer to a buttered baking (cookie) sheet, curving the strudel into a horseshoe shape.

8. Brush with any remaining butter. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C/400°F/gas mark 6 for about 40 minutes until golden and cooked through.

9. Dust with the icing sugar and serve warm, or  leave until cold and carefully transfer to a large serving plate.