Festive Recipe: Yuletide Strudel

Yuletide Strudel stuffed with Apple, Mincemeat, Walnuts and Cranberries

Salzberg, Austria is a haven of Christmas markets and everyone appears to eat strudel at all times of the day. Each restaurant, stube and café competes to serve the best. Having recently returned from a delightful trip there, we feel compelled to offer our own recipe to spice up the coming Christmas festivities.

Ingredients
Serves 6

For the Fruit Filling

3 Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
3 tablespoons Mincemeat, (vegetarian, from a jar)
1 Lemon, zest & juice
100g Chopped Walnuts
200g Dried Cranberries
2 teapoons Ground Cinnamon
A pinch of Salt

For the Pastry

320gm pack Ready Rolled Puff Pastry
1 Egg
A splash of milk and pinch of salt
Demerara Sugar to sprinkle

To accompany:

Caramel
Vanilla Custard
Whipped Double Cream with Crystalised Ginger
A sprinkle of Icing Sugar

Method

Put the apple, mincemeat and lemon into a heavy bottomed pan over a gentle heat.
Stir occasionally and lightly cook for 5 minutes.

Stir in the walnuts, cranberries, cinnamon and salt. Set the mixture aside to cool.

Lay out the rectangular sheet of puff pastry and pile the fruit mixture down the length in the centre.
Cut each side of the pastry into parallel strips, each about 2cm wide. These should angle down from the fruit.
Fold the pastry strips over the fruit mixture one at a time from alternative sides to form a plait.
Seal each strip underneath with a dab of water.

Transfer the strudel to a baking sheet, lined with baking paper.
Mix the egg with a little salt and milk, then paint the strudel with the mix.
Sprinkle with demerara sugar

Bake in a preheated oven at 200’C for approximately 35 minutes until golden brown.

Serve with Caramel, Custard, Whipped Cream with Ginger or Ice Cream.

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Recipe by Peter Gladwin ©