You will need: Firebricks/spacer grate
Top heat: approx. 220-250°C
Preheating: approx. 30 minutes
Working hours: 30 minutes
Baking time: approx. 40-45 minutes

Ingredients
(for 2 strudels)

For the strudel dough:

• 300 g wheat flour (double-grained flour)
• 4 tbsp neutral cooking oil
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1 pinch of salt 
• approx. 160 ml lukewarm water

For the filling:

• 60 g stale white bread cubes, stripped of crust
• 2 jars of cherries (700 g drained weight)
• 100 g walnuts, chopped
• Zest of 1 untreated lemon

In addition:

• some cooking oil and flour 
• Butter for the tray
• 100-120 g melted butter
• Powdered sugar for sifting

For the strudel dough:

Mix the flour, oil, vinegar and salt in a bowl. Then knead vigorously, adding enough lukewarm water to make a medium-strength dough. (Measure out the amount of water carefully!)
Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface and knead well again. Shape into a ball, place on an oiled plate and brush with oil. Cover with a bowl and leave to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

During this time, heat the Merklinger to approx. 220-250°C.

Drain the cherries well.

Grease a baking tray with butter and lightly flour a kitchen towel.

Halve the dough and the amount of ingredients for the filling and make two strudels as follows:

Roll out the dough into a rectangle on a lightly floured work surface using a rolling pin. Then carefully stretch it out on the prepared kitchen towel. To do this, reach under the dough with both hands and carefully pull it outwards over the backs of your hands.
Pull out the edges all around with the tips of your fingers so that they are not too thick.

Sprinkle the front two thirds of the dough with the white bread cubes. Leave the left and right edges free.
Spread the drained cherries, walnuts and lemon zest over the bread cubes.

Brush the remaining third of the dough with butter.

Using the kitchen towel, fold the edges on the right and left over the filling and roll the strudel backwards.

Place on the prepared tray with the dough seam facing down.

Brush with the melted butter and place the tray on the spacer grid on the firebricks.  

Bake the cherry strudel at 220-250°C for approx. 40-45 minutes. Brush with butter every now and then.

Turn the baking tray through 180° once during the baking time.

Remove from the Merklinger, leave to cool slightly and dust with powdered sugar.



Tip:
If you have two baking trays and two baking mats, you can also simply roll the cherry strudels from the kitchen towel onto a baking mat. This makes it easier to get them onto the trays afterwards. (Of course, do not grease them beforehand).

The recipe can be halved at any time.