Quark strudel (Topfenstrudel)

1. Leave the strudel pastry in its packaging at room temperature for 20 minutes so it becomes pliable; meanwhile melt some of the butter.

2. For the filling, beat the soft butter with the icing sugar and vanilla sugar until fluffy, add the egg yolks one at a time, then the sieved quark, sour cream, lemon zest, semolina and raisins.

3. Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fold them gently into the quark mixture.

4. Lay one sheet of pastry on a slightly damp tea towel, brush with melted butter and lay the next sheet on top; layer all the sheets this way, buttering the top one too.

5. Pile the filling onto one third of the dough, roll up using the towel, tuck in the ends and place in a buttered baking dish; brush with butter and bake in an oven preheated to 180 °C for 20 minutes.

6. Pour the milk over it and bake for another 25-30 minutes until golden; serve lukewarm, dusted with icing sugar.

Tip: Pouring milk over the strudel during baking keeps the base soft and moist - a classic trick of Viennese pastry shops.