For the dough

1. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter, confectioner’s sugar, lemon zest and vanilla sugar.
2. Add the egg, the cream or milk, flour, baking powder and salt and continue to mix until the dough is formed into a single ball.
3. Wrap in plastic wrap, to keep moist, and allow to rest in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

Filling

1. Peel the apples, remove the core and chop into pieces.
2. Slowly toast the breadcrumbs in a pan, then add the butter and brown.
3. Allow to cool briefly, then mix the breadcrumbs with the apples, raisins, pine nuts, almonds, rum or grappa, vanilla sugar, cinnamon and lemon zest.

To finish

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
2. Roll the dough out on a pastry board into a 16 x 12 inch rectangle, optionally cutting two thin strips of dough along the longer sides for decoration, and putting these aside.
3. Place the dough on a greased baking sheet, or one covered with parchment paper. Top the dough with a 3” wide strip of strudel filling – you want to leave enough dough uncovered to completely encase the filling – and close the remaining dough over the strudel. Carefully roll the strudel over so the seam where the ends of the dough meet is on the bottom.
4. Brush the strudel with beaten egg, decorate with the remaining strips of dough if you wish, and bake until a light golden brown, about 40 minutes. Allow to cool.
5. Sprinkle the strudel with confectioner’s sugar, cut into slices, and serve with whipped cream, or ice cream, or a drizzle of grappa.