Mixed Fruit Strudel Food

FRUIT STRUDEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350º.
• Put the flour, sour cream and butter in a large zip lock bag. Mix until combined. Let sit in the refrigerator overnight, or put in the freezer for 1 ½ hours.
• After the dough is well chilled, divide into four parts.
• Flour work surface.
• Take one part and roll into a fat snake like shape with hands.
• Then with a rolling pin, roll into a rectangle about 1/8 inch thick.
• Spread jam evenly onto dough, leaving an small edge without jam.
• Roll up like a jelly roll.
• Press seams together and seal.
• Lay seam side down on a cookie sheet.
• With a sharp knife, cut slits across the strudel in a diagonal pattern.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes.
• To make icing, combine the powdered sugar and milk. You want it to be thick.
• While strudel is still warm, drizzle powdered sugar mixture over strudel.
• Cut into bite size servings to serve.
• Feel free to add nuts with the jam.

MOCK FRUIT STRUDEL WITH ICE CREAM

Steps:

• In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and stir in apples, raisins, and golden raisins. Saute for about 5 to 7 minutes until they begin to caramelize. Add pears, peaches, vanilla, cinnamon, and brown sugar and cook for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• If phyllo was defrosted, make sure it is completely defrosted before handling it. Once removed from package, you will need to cover phyllo with waxed paper and a damp towel to prevent it from drying out. Working with 1 sheet at a time, lay out a dough sheet on a baking sheet and brush on butter. Lay another sheet on top and butter again, repeating for all the phyllo sheets, until you have a stack of 10. Start another stack of 10 on a separate baking sheet and butter in between each sheet in the same way.
• Fold cubed pound cake and bread crumbs into the fruit mixture. (This will absorb enough of the moisture to prevent the phyllo from breaking down.)
• Spread the fruit mixture evenly over each stack of prepared phyllo and gently roll up the dough from the longest side, folding the ends shut as you go. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake in oven until golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.
• Serve at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and warm caramel sauce.

RUSSIAN STYLE MIXED/DRIED FRUIT STRUDEL

Steps:

• Put the flour in the bowl of an electric mixer. On slow, mix in the butter until it looks like very coarse meal. Mix in the sour cream until it masses together to form a dough. Pat into a rectangle, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
• Filling:
• Coarsely chop the prunes. In a small saucepan, cover the prunes with the prune juice and sugar. Bring to a simmer for 3 minutes. Place in a food processor with the vanilla and puree to a paste. Mix in the raisins, cherries and walnuts. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a square 16 by16 inches. Place the filling in a log running along the bottom and roll up. Pinch the ends closed. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet, seam side down. Mix the egg and water together to form a wash and paint the strudel. Bake for 30 minutes until crisp and golden. Let cool on a rack, then slice into 1 inch pieces.
• This was my Grandma Bessie's baking specialty. I haven't had this since she died but my brothers and I talk of it often, trying to re-construct what was in it. I re-discovered it at the Golden Key in Brighton Beach. Can be made on a rainy day with items in the pantry

FRUIT PLAIT

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface into a large rectangle. Transfer to a lightly greased baking tray.
• Put the sultanas in a small mixing bowl with just enough warm water to cover them, and soak for 10 mins.
• Core the apples and pears and slice them into even-sized pieces - you don't need to peel them. Put the pieces in a bowl and add the honey and 2 tbsp apricot jam. Drain the soaked sultanas and add them to the mixture. Stir well and add the mixed spice and cinnamon to taste.
• Spoon the mixture in a thick strip down the centre of the puff pastry. Use a sharp knife to make roughly 8 diagonal cuts down each side of the pastry like a lattice. Fold the pastry strips alternately across the filling like a plait.
• Crack the egg into a bowl, whisk with a fork and, using a pastry brush, glaze the top of the puff pastry.
• Place the plait in the oven and bake for 25-30 mins or until the apples are soft and the pastry is golden brown. Serve with crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream.