By Martha Rose Shulman
- Total Time
- 45 minutes
- Rating
- 4(68)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This strudel is made with phyllo dough. When I tested it the first time, I found that I had enough filling for two strudels. Rather than cut the amount of filling, I increased the number of strudels to 2, as this is a dessert you can assemble and keep, unbaked, in the freezer.
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Ingredients
Yield:2 strudels, each serving 8
- ½pound mixed dried fruit, like raisins, currants, chopped dried figs, chopped dried apricots, dried cranberries
- 1½pounds apples (3 large) (I recommend Braeburns), peeled, cored and cut in ½-inch dice
- 1tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 2tablespoons unsalted butter for cooking the apples
- ¼cup (50 grams) brown sugar
- 1teaspoon vanilla
- 1teaspoon cinnamon
- ½teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼cup (30 grams) chopped or slivered almonds
- ¾pound (1 large or 2 small) ripe but firm pears, peeled, cored and cut in ½-inch dice
- 8sheets phyllo dough
- ⅞cup (100 grams) almond flour, divided
- 1½ounces butter, melted, for brushing the phyllo
Filling for 2 Strudels
For Each Strudel
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Preparation
Step
1
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment.
Step
2
Place the dried fruit in a bowl and pour on hot or boiling water to cover. Let sit 5 minutes, and drain. Toss the apples with the lemon juice.
Step
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Heat a large, heavy frying pan over high heat and add 2 tablespoons butter. Wait until it becomes light brown and carefully add the apples and the sugar. Do not add the apples until the pan and the butter are hot enough, or they won’t sear properly and retain their juice. But be careful when you add them so that the hot butter doesn’t splatter. When the apples are brown on one side, add the vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and almonds, flip the apples and continue to sauté until golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the pears and dried fruit, then scrape out onto one of the lined sheet pans and allow to cool completely. Divide into two equal portions (easiest to do this if you weigh it).
Step
4
Place 8 sheets of phyllo dough on your work surface. Cover with a dish towel and place another, damp dish towel on top of the first towel. Place a sheet of parchment on your work surface horizontally, with the long edge close to you. Lay a sheet of phyllo dough on the parchment. Brush lightly with butter and top with the next sheet. Continue to layer all eight sheets, brushing each one with butter before topping with the next one.
Step
5
Brush the top sheet of phyllo dough with butter. Sprinkle on half of the almond powder (50 grams). With the other half, create a line 3 inches from the base of the dough, leaving a 2½-inch margin on the sides. Top this line with one portion of the fruit mixture. Fold the bottom edge of the phyllo up over the filling, then fold the ends over and roll up like a burrito. Using the parchment paper to help you, lift the strudel and place it on the other parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with butter and make 3 or 4 slits on the diagonal along the length of the strudel. Repeat with the other sheets of phyllo to make a second strudel. If you are freezing one of them, double-wrap tightly in plastic.
Step
6
Place the strudel in the oven and bake 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, brush again with butter, rotate the pan and return to the oven. Continue to bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes. Serve warm or room temperature.
Tip
- Advance preparation: The fruit filling will keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator. The strudel can be baked a few hours before serving it. Recrisp in a medium oven for 10 minutes. It can also be frozen before baking, double-wrapped in plastic. Transfer directly from the freezer to the oven and add 10 minutes to the baking time.
Ratings
4
out of 5
68
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Cooking Notes
ann
Almond powder? Is this almond meal? Almond flour? Or something else?
Michael
This recipe cries out for a video.
Novice phyllo user
This was "outstanding" in my husband's opinion, but quite a lot of work. I haven't cooked with phyllo before, but my sheets were huge, and the edges folded over made for a lot of dough on the ends. The package came in a pack of 18, so I used 9 sheets per. Her directions are a bit confusing, but basically I put the filling in the middle third, and folded everything over then flipped & baked. Egg wash & sugar on top might help. I had to bake for 35+ to get golden tops.
kml
The ingredients list says 100g almond powder for each strudel. That means 200g for two strudels.
Step 5 says sprinkle 50g over one set of phyllo sheets, then make a line with the other half of the powder (50g) - so you can tell where to fold the phyllo dough after adding the filling.
Jack
I believe there is a typo. It should read brown sugar instad of almond powder. Brown sugar is the only 50 gram ingredient.
Sara
almond powder is the same as almond flour - essentially very finely ground *blanched* almonds
Sara
No! the 50 gr sugar is used for cooking the apples; see Step 3. The 100 gr almond powder, 50 gr for each strudel, is listed in the bottom part of the ingredient list, where it says `For each strudel'.
Martha Rose Shulman
You could, but even better would be coconut oil.
BG
Easy to do, and delicious. A standard and straightforward way to use phyllo....not sure why others found it challenging.
Deborah
I think the 1½ ounces of melted butter from brushing the phyllo is a misprint. I used almost a whole 4-ounce stick of butter, and it wasn't quite enough, so I had to use coconut oil to brush the top of the strudel halfway through baking. Should it maybe say 1½ *sticks* of butter?
BLC
The filling in this is fantastic. I didn't have phyllo, but did have a sheet of puff pastry. I assembled the strudel on a parchment-lined baking sheet, so I wouldn't need to transfer it. I put filling on one half of pastry sheet, folded over with other half and crimped the edges, like a long rectangular turnover. I docked the top thoroughly with a fork, to minimize puffing, and slashed steam vents. Baked for 30 min at 375*. Crust was light and flaky and filling was moist and delicious.
Berny Morson
What the heck is "the base of the dough?"
Betty
Mine turned out a little dry- esp at the ends of the burrito where it was all phyllo. The filling was good- not too sweet, but it didn't sick together so it was clumsy to eat. If I made it again I would use another 1/2 cup less almond flour, add a little butter to the filling to make it juicier and not bother to fold in the ends- just roll and pinch. But I must say baking is not my forte, so it could just be me!
Edith Hillinger
I do not like to use butter, could one substitute olive oil for the butter in this recipe?
Martha Rose Shulman
You could, but even better would be coconut oil.
Zeldie
Oh wow! The smell of the vanilla , cinnamon and nutmeg added to the butter and apples is heavenly. Mouth watering ..want to eat it hot out of skillet...added Reims N39 from La Boite. Just had taste. Sublime.
On this very rainy day in Florida I will sauté all the apples from my bin this way as a dessert without the phyllo. Great do ahead for all the guests coming and going in Feb. will add fresh whipped cream.
Michael
This recipe cries out for a video.
Jack
I believe there is a typo. It should read brown sugar instad of almond powder. Brown sugar is the only 50 gram ingredient.
Eddie
See step 5.
Mary O
I don't think it's a typo, this recipe makes 2 strudels, so you use half of the 100g of almond powder, 50 grams, per strudel.
I am assuming that almond powder is the same as almond meal -- you can buy a 1 lb bag at Trader Joe's. Or pulverize your own almonds in the food processor.
Sara
No! the 50 gr sugar is used for cooking the apples; see Step 3. The 100 gr almond powder, 50 gr for each strudel, is listed in the bottom part of the ingredient list, where it says `For each strudel'.
ann
Almond powder? Is this almond meal? Almond flour? Or something else?
Sara
almond powder is the same as almond flour - essentially very finely ground *blanched* almonds
Novice phyllo user
This was "outstanding" in my husband's opinion, but quite a lot of work. I haven't cooked with phyllo before, but my sheets were huge, and the edges folded over made for a lot of dough on the ends. The package came in a pack of 18, so I used 9 sheets per. Her directions are a bit confusing, but basically I put the filling in the middle third, and folded everything over then flipped & baked. Egg wash & sugar on top might help. I had to bake for 35+ to get golden tops.
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