Woodland Fruit Strudel

This woodland strudel has crisp, light and flaky pastry with a sweet fruit filling of apples, raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and redcurrants. The strongly flavoured almond paste adds a delicious kick making it that little bit more special.

Recipe - Serves 8

For the pastry (alternatively use three large shop-bought sheets of filo pastry):

• 250g strong white bread flour
• 25g butter, melted
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 100ml water
• 40g butter, melted
• Flaked almonds, to sprinkle
• Icing sugar, to dust

For the almond paste:

• 40g ground almonds
• 20g caster sugar
• 20g icing sugar
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 egg, beaten

For the fruit filling:

• 2 apples, peeled and thinly sliced
• 300g mixed fruits (raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and redcurrants)
• 50g white breadcrumbs
• 60g caster sugar
• Zest 1/2 lemon

Make the pastry dough by combining the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the melted butter and egg then stir in enough water to form a soft and slightly sticky dough. Turn onto a work surface and knead for 10 minutes or more until very smooth and elastic. Set aside, cover with a bowl, and leave to rest for 1 hour to relax the gluten.

Meanwhile, make the almond paste. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl to combined to a paste. Cover with clingfilm and chill until needed.

Tip the fruit into a large bowl and add the breadcrumbs, sugar and lemon zest. Stir together and set aside.

Divide the filo dough into three equal sized pieces. Leave two underneath the bowl and place the third on a lightly floured clean tea towel or pillowcase. Roll out to thin using a rolling pin then use the back of your hands and fingertips to stretch the dough to a large paper thin rectangle. Carefully lift onto another tea towel. Brush liberally with butter and cover with clingfilm. Repeat with the second piece of filo dough to make a rectangle of the same size. Lift onto the first sheet of filo and brush again with butter, before covering. Stretch out the last piece of dough and lift onto the first two. Brush with butter. Use a lightly floured sharp knife to trim off the thick edges. Alternatively, layer three sheets of shop-bought filo pastry with butter in between in the same way.

Preheat the oven to 190C. Meanwhile, fill the strudel by first spreading an 8-10cm wide strip of the almond paste parallel to the longest side of the rectangle about 2.5cm up from the edge and leaving a 2cm border at each side. Sprinkle the fruit mixture over the top. Gently lift the filo to cover the fruit and use the tea towel to roll over. Fold the sides into towards the centre to seal the ends then roll up completely. Press to seal well. 

Carefully lift onto a baking tray lined with baking paper and ease into a semi-circle shape. Brush the top with melted butter and sprinkle with flaked almonds. Bake at 190C for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.

Remove the strudel from the oven and leave for 10 minutes to stand. Transfer to a serving board or plate and dust with icing sugar. Serve warm or leave to cool completely before slicing.