Desserts Recipes - Chocolate and Spiced Apple Strudel Recipe

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 6 sheets of filo pastry

• 50 g/2 oz unsalted butter, melted

• icing sugar, for dusting

• clotted or whipped cream, to serve 

Filling:

• 1 kg/2 lb cooking apples

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 50 g/2 oz unsalted butter

• 50 g/2 oz breadcrumbs

• 1 teaspoon ground mixed spice

• 50 g/2 oz demerara sugar

• 50 g/2 oz sultanas

• 50 g/2 oz walnut pieces

• 125 g/4 oz plain dark chocolate, chopped

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Method:

1. Lightly grease a large baking sheet with slightly raised sides. To make the filling, peel, core and slice the apples and put them into a bowl of water with the lemon juice to prevent discoloration.

2. Melt the butter in a frying pan and fry the breadcrumbs for about 3 minutes until golden. Drain the apples and add to the pan with the remaining filling ingredients.

3. Lay one sheet of filo pastry on a work surface and brush with a little of the melted butter. Cover with another sheet and brush with more butter.

4. Add a third sheet and spoon half the filling over the pastry to within 2.5 cm/1 inch of the edges. Fold the two short ends over the filling, then roll up the pastry like a Swiss roll, starting from a long side.

5. Transfer to the baking sheet with the join underneath. Use the remaining pastry, filling and butter to make a second strudel in the same way.

6. Bake in a preheated oven, 190°C (375°F), Gas Mark 5, for about 30 minutes until golden. Cool slightly, dust with icing sugar and serve sliced with clotted or whipped cream.