B E INSPIRED!

SWEETEN YOUR WINTER EVENINGS WITH THIS INDULGENT DESSERT

Sticky Date and Apple Strudel

Serves 8, Prep 45 mins, Cook 30 mins

1 cup chopped pitted dates

½ cup water

385g can sliced apple pie fruit, drained

1 tblsp golden syrup

2 tsps cinnamon sugar

10 sheets filo pastry

75g unsalted butter, melted

¹∕³ cup quick oats

Vanilla ice-cream, to serve

SAUCE

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

300ml tub thickened cream

2 tblsps golden syrup

1 Place dates and water in a medium saucepan over a high heat. Bring to boil. Transfer to a heatproof bowl. Refrigerate, covered until cold.

2 Combine apples, syrup and half the cinnamon sugar in a bowl. Toss to coat.

3 Layer pastry sheets together on a clean bench, brushing in between each sheet with some of the butter. Reserve remaining butter.

4 Spread date mixture down the centre of the pastry, leaving an 8cm border on long sides and 7cm on short sides. Sprinkle oats over date mixture. Then spread apple mixture over the top.

5 With long side facing you, fold in short sides of pastry. Roll up from long side to enclose filling. Lift strudel, seam-side down, onto a large oven tray lined with baking paper. Brush with reserved butter. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar.

6 Cook in a hot oven (200C) for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Remove from oven. Stand on tray for 15 minutes.

7 Meanwhile, to make sauce, combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan over a low heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Bring to boil. Gently boil, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes, or until thickened. Remove.

8 Serve warm strudel with warm sauce and ice-cream.