Cherry Strudel

Make the dough: in a bowl combine All-Purpose Flour with a pinch of Salt, then add lukewarm Water, a drizzle of Neutral Oil and a splash of White Vinegar. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8–10 minutes), form into a ball, coat lightly with oil, cover and let rest for 45–60 minutes so the gluten relaxes.

Prepare the filling: in a mixing bowl toss Pitted Sour Cherries with Granulated Sugar, Ground Cinnamon, Vanilla Sugar, Lemon Zest and a little Lemon Juice. Let the mixture sit while you work on the pastry so the fruit releases some juice.

Toast the crumbs: melt Unsalted Butter in a skillet, add Fine Dry Breadcrumbs and cook, stirring, until the crumbs are golden and fragrant; remove from heat and let cool. These will absorb excess juice and give the strudel a lovely crunch.

Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Divide the rested dough into 2–3 pieces. On a lightly floured or oiled surface, roll each piece as thin as you can into a large rectangle, then gently stretch it with your hands or a rolling pin until nearly translucent — aim for an even, thin sheet.

Assemble: brush the surface of the stretched dough lightly with a little Neutral Oil or melted Unsalted Butter, leaving a 2 cm/¾ in border. Evenly sprinkle a layer of the toasted Fine Dry Breadcrumbs over the dough to catch juices, then spread the cherry filling in a line along one long edge, leaving room to roll.

Roll the strudel tightly away from you using the linen or your hands, tucking the ends as you go to seal the filling, and place seam-side down on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining portions.

Brush the rolls with remaining melted Unsalted Butter and bake for 30–40 minutes, or until the pastry is deep golden and the filling is bubbling through in places.

Let the strudel cool slightly on the pan, then dust generously with Powdered Sugar. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature.