Apple Strudel

Steps

1. 1
   Soak the raisins in the rum (or warm water) for 20 minutes.
2. 2
   Melt the 40 g butter in a frying pan over medium heat and toast the breadcrumbs, stirring, for 4–5 minutes until golden and smelling nutty; leave to cool. These crumbs soak up the apple juice and keep the pastry from going soggy.
3. 3
   Toss the apples with the sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and drained raisins. Do this just before assembling, so the apples don’t release too much liquid.
4. 4
   Heat the oven to 190°C and line a tray with baking paper.
5. 5
   Lay a clean tea towel on the worktop, place a filo sheet on it and brush with melted butter; repeat with the remaining sheets, overlapping them slightly to make a rectangle about 50×40 cm.
6. 6
   Scatter the toasted breadcrumbs over the bottom third of the pastry, leaving a 4 cm border, and pile the apple filling on top, leaving any juice behind in the bowl.
7. 7
   Fold the side borders in, then use the towel to lift and roll the strudel up firmly from the filling end. Roll it seam-side down onto the tray.
8. 8
   Brush all over with melted butter and bake for 40–45 minutes, brushing again halfway, until deep golden and crisp and the apples are tender when tested with a skewer.
9. 9
   Cool for 15 minutes, dust thickly with icing sugar and cut into thick slices with a serrated knife. Serve warm with vanilla sauce or whipped cream.