Polish apple strudel

Serves 20 Desserts and puddings

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Method

Start this recipe at least a day before serving. Grease the baking tin with 1tbsp oil.

To make the dough, mix the flours together in a large bowl. Make a well in the flour and add the sugar, vegetable oil and baking powder. Immediately pour the vinegar on top of the baking soda and wait a few seconds for the mixture to froth. With your hands, start to mix the liquid in the well, slowly adding 220ml warm water and bringing in the flour bit by bit to form a rough dough. Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and bang it down a few times. Knead lightly for 2-3 minutes until it becomes smooth.

Divide the dough into 2 pieces for the 2 rolls of the strudel.

Starting with 1 piece, knead lightly for 2 minutes, adding a sprinkle of flour from time to time, until you have a smooth ball. Repeat with the remaining piece. Rest the dough on the worktop for at least an hour, covered with a tea towel.

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. To prepare the filling, peel the apples and grate into a bowl. Take 1 piece of the dough and roll it out on a lightly floured worktop into a circle, turning it over from time and time and re-flouring the worktop if needed, until the dough becomes almost transparent and is around 60cm in diameter.

Using your hands, spread half the oil, then half the jam, over the dough. Spread half the apple, in handfuls, on top of the jam. Sprinkle half the sugar over the apple, followed by half the sultanas. Sprinkle the strudel with half the ground cinnamon.

Dust your hands with flour then, starting at the edge closest to you, start to roll up the strudel. Stretch and pull the rolled part towards you each time before you roll it over and continue until you reach the other side. Fold over the ends of the roll to seal. Coil the roll along the inside perimeter of the greased pan, seam-side down.

Repeat with the remaining dough and filling and place inside the other roll, coiling it in the centre of the pan. Flatten the coils with your hands and spread both rolls evenly with the remaining 1tbsp oil, then sprinkle with the 50g sugar, using it to fill any holes in the dough.

Using the back of a knife, press indentations along the rolls about 4cm apart, as if you were marking slices, being careful not to pierce the dough.

Bake for 11⁄2 hours or until dark golden. Allow to cool, cover with cling film and chill for at least 1 day before serving. Serve at room temperature.