Rhubarb & Strawberry Strudel with Buttery Crumble
·Making the pliable dough
Sift the plain flour into a bowl. Add lukewarm water, oil, cooled melted butter, vinegar and salt.
Resting the dough in the fridge
Mix the ingredients with a wooden spoon, then knead by hand into a smooth ball. Place it in a bowl, drizzle with a little oil, cover with plastic wrap and let it rest in the fridge, ideally overnight.
Bringing the dough to room temperature
The next day, take the chilled dough out of the fridge. Let it sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes so it's easier to work with.
Preparing the fruit
Wash the fresh rhubarb and sweet strawberries, trim off the stalks and leaves, and pat dry. Cut into smaller pieces. Mix with sugar, vanilla sugar, cinnamon, ginger and lemon zest.
Biscuits and almonds
Finely crush the crunchy cantucci biscuits and have your almond flakes ready.
Stretching the dough thin
Lay a large, well-floured tea towel on your work surface. Lightly roll out the rested dough with a rolling pin, then carefully stretch it by hand – working from the centre outward – until it's beautifully thin.
Layering the filling
Brush the whole surface of the dough with melted butter (save some for later). Sprinkle the crushed cantucci over the bottom third of the dough, along the longer side.
Adding the fruit
Spread the prepared fruit filling evenly over the biscuits. If it has released too much juice, drain off the excess or gently squeeze the fruit. Finally, sprinkle everything with the almond flakes.
Rolling up the strudel carefully
Using the tea towel, carefully fold the dough over the filling and press down gently. Then continue rolling up the whole strudel. Brush the loose edge of the dough at the end with butter and fold it up onto the strudel so the seam stays on top.
Sealing the ends
Press the ends of the rolled strudel firmly together, tearing off any excess dough if there's too much. Fold the ends up towards the top seam.
Final touches before baking
Using the tea towel, carefully transfer the rolled strudel onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper, turning it seam-side down. Brush with melted butter.
Making the crunchy almond crumble
In a bowl, mix sifted flour, ground almonds, sugar and a pinch of salt. Add cold butter and work it in with your fingers to form a crumbly texture. Generously scatter the crumble over the prepared strudel.
Baking until golden and crisp
Bake the strudel in an oven preheated to 180°C for about 30 minutes, until the pastry is beautifully golden and the crumble on top is irresistibly crisp. Dust with icing sugar and enjoy!