This fruity filo pastry strudel topped with butterscotch sauce is even more delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients
- For the filling:
- 2 dessert apples, peeled, cored and diced
- 2 bananas, finely sliced
- ½ juice of a lemon
- 75g (3oz) butter
- 75g (3oz) Demerara sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 150g (5oz) mixed dried fruit and nut mix
- For the strudel:
- 200g (7oz) chilled filo pastry
- 2tbsp mild olive oil or vegetable oil
- 30g icing sugar, sieved
- For the butterscotch sauce:
- 100g (4oz) butter
- 50g (2oz) Demerara sugar
- 200ml (7fl oz) double cream or 200ml carton Fortisip Protein (vanilla) or Fortisip Bottle (toffee)
- To serve:
- 1 scoop vanilla ice cream
Method
Start with the filling. Chop the bananas and apples and stir together in a large mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice to prevent the fruit from browning.
Stir the butter in a medium pan with the Demerara sugar and cinnamon until the mixture melts together.
Add the dried fruit and nuts to the pan and stir over a gentle heat for 5 mins. Remove from the heat and add to the mixing bowl of fresh fruit and stir together
To make the strudel, spread out one sheet of filo pastry and brush with a little of the oil. Repeat to make a four-layered sheet.
Spoon the filling in a long strip onto the pastry leaving 8cm/3″ clear at the top and bottom ends. Fold over the sides to seal the edges and roll up from the bottom to top edge into a long roll parcel.
Rest on an oiled baking sheet or on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment. Brush the parcel with the remaining oil and dust with sieved icing sugar. Bake in the oven for 25-30 mins (180ºC/Fan 160ºC/350ºF/gas mark 4) until the pastry is golden and crisp.
Meanwhile, prepare the butterscotch sauce. Stir the butter and Demerara sugar together over a gentle heat in a medium size pan until melted. Simmer for 1 min until it colours to a light caramel. Gradually pour in the cream or Fortisip. Return to a gentle heat and bring to simmering (but don’t let it boil).
Once the pastry is cooked, slice the strudel and pour over the sauce. Serve with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Top tip for making Ed Baines’ banana, apple and raisin strudel
You can vary the fruit used depending on what you have available. Pears, peaches and raspberries make a delicious combination.
