APPLE STRUDEL

Makes 2 loaves. Dough:

4 cups flour, sifted

Pinch of salt

2 Tbsp. soybean oil

¾ or 1 cup water, room temperature (amount depends on absorption in flour) Oil for greasing the dough

Filling:

3 Tbsp. dark rum (or any kind of rum)

1 cup raisins

2 kg. red apples, peeled, seeded and sliced thinly (or quince that have been softened)

1 cup sugar

2 packets vanilla sugar

¼ tsp. cinnamon

Juice from 2 lemons

For brushing:

125 g. melted butter or margarine

Sprinkling:

125 g. breadcrumbs or cookie crumbs

Topping:

½ cup powdered sugar

In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the flour. While mixing, add the salt, oil and water. Mix until dough is smooth. Grease the dough with oil and cover with plastic wrap. Let dough sit and rest for 1 hour.

Soak the raisins in a bowl with the rum. In a large bowl, add the sliced apples, sugar, vanilla sugar, drained raisins, cinnamon and lemon juice. Mix well.

Roll out the dough until it’s very thin. Pick it up and stretch it more on the palms of your hands. Place the dough on a cloth and stretch edges again.

Brush on melted butter and then sprinkle the bread or cookie crumbs on 2/3 of the dough. Spread the apple slices on the crumbs and then roll up the dough into a log.

Transfer to a pan that’s lined with baking paper. Brush with melted butter. Bake in an oven that has been preheated to 200ºC for 10 minutes. Then lower the temperature to 180ºC and bake for another 40 minutes.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve at room temperature with vanilla ice cream or with vanilla sauce.

Level of difficulty: Medium. Time: 2 hours. Status: Dairy or Pareve.