Apfelstrudel

Step 1: Mix 9 oz strong white bread flour and 1 pinch salt in a bowl, add ½ cup lukewarm water, 3 tbsp sunflower oil and 1 tsp white vinegar or lemon juice and knead for 10 minutes, slapping the dough onto the worktop now and then, until it's very smooth, soft and elastic. Shape into a ball, coat with a little oil, cover and rest in a warm place for at least 45 minutes.

Step 2: Melt 40 g of the 1 ⅜ oz butter in a frying pan over a medium heat, add 2 ⅞ oz dried breadcrumbs and stir for 4–5 minutes until golden brown and smelling toasty. Tip onto a plate to cool.

Step 3: Peel, quarter and core 2 ⅝ lb tart apples (such as Bramley, Boskoop or Granny Smith), then slice thinly. Toss straight away with the juice and zest of 1 lemon, 3 ½ oz sugar, 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon, the drained 2 ⅛ oz raisins and 1 ¾ oz walnuts.

Step 4: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan) and line a large baking tray. Melt the rest of the 2 ⅞ oz butter.

Step 5: Spread a large clean tea towel or cloth (about 70 × 90 cm) over the table and dust it with flour. Roll the dough out on it as far as it will go, then slide the backs of your floured hands under it and gently stretch it outwards from the middle, moving round the table, until it is paper-thin and translucent and covers the cloth. Small holes are fine. Cut off the thick edges.

Step 6: Brush the dough with some of the melted butter. Scatter the breadcrumbs over the third nearest you, leaving a 5 cm border, then pile the apples on top of the crumbs. A common mistake is spreading the filling across the whole sheet: the strudel won't roll and the layers turn gummy.

Step 7: Fold the side edges in over the filling, then lift the cloth so the strudel rolls itself up, away from you. Roll it off the cloth onto the tray, seam down, bending it into a horseshoe if it's long. Brush all over with butter.

Step 8: Bake for 40–45 minutes, brushing with butter twice, until the pastry is crisp, flaky and golden and juice bubbles at the ends.

Step 9: Cool for at least 15 minutes, then dust with 2 tbsp icing sugar and cut into thick slices with a serrated knife. Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla sauce.