Strudel Surprise Food

APPLE STRUDEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a small bowl, create a slurry by combining 1/4 cup of the apple juice with the cornstarch. Mix until smooth and set aside.
• In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook the apples with the remaining 1 cup apple juice, raisins, sugar and cinnamon until the apples are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir the cornstarch slurry (it may have settled) and add it to the apple mixture, stirring constantly until smooth and lump free. Simmer for 1 minute more, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and cool. Stir in the pecans, cover and chill.
• Lay out 1 phyllo sheet on a clean, flat, lightly floured surface. Brush with some melted butter and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs. Repeat this procedure with two more layers of phyllo, butter and breadcrumbs. Top with the fourth sheet of phyllo. Spread the apple filling evenly onto the phyllo surface, leaving a 1/2-inch clean edge on all sides. Roll into a log, folding the edges at each end beneath the log and brush with some melted butter. Carefully place the strudel on the prepared baking sheet, seam-side down. Bake the strudel until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes before cutting into 2-inch slices. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar just before serving. Serve plain or with ice cream.

RHUBARB-TARRAGON STRUDELS

Steps:

• Make the compote: Combine the tarragon sprigs, granulated sugar and 1 3/4 cups water in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the rhubarb, reduce the heat to low and cook until softened but not falling apart, about 3 minutes. Strain the rhubarb over a bowl, reserving the liquid (keep the rhubarb in the strainer to drain completely while assembling the strudel).
• Make the strudels: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Pulse the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, flour and vanilla seeds in a food processor until just combined.
• Lay out 1 phyllo sheet on a clean dry surface (keep the remaining phyllo covered with a slightly damp kitchen towel). Brush lightly with clarified butter and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon chopped tarragon and 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar. Layer another sheet of phyllo on top and top with more butter, tarragon and granulated sugar. Repeat the layering with the remaining phyllo; do not top the final sheet. Cut the stack of phyllo in half crosswise. Reserve the remaining clarified butter (about 1 tablespoon).
• Put each phyllo stack on a piece of parchment paper that's slightly larger than the stack. Position the stacks with the long sides facing you. Divide the cream cheese mixture between the stacks, spreading it in a 2-inch-wide strip along the edge closest to you; leave a 1-inch border at the bottom and sides. Spoon the rhubarb pieces over the cream cheese filling. Starting from the side closest to you, use the parchment to lift the phyllo and roll tightly around the filling to make 2 logs; arrange seam-side down. Transfer the strudels (on the parchment) to a baking sheet.
• Brush the strudels with the reserved clarified butter and sprinkle generously with granulated sugar. Bake until golden brown and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes. Meanwhile, bring the reserved rhubarb liquid to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until syrupy, about 15 minutes.
• Let the strudels cool 10 minutes on the baking sheet. Slide the strudels (on the parchment) onto a rack; let cool 45 minutes. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar and drizzle with the rhubarb syrup.
• How to clarify butter:
• Strudel recipes often call for clarified butter, which helps prevent the dough from getting soggy. To make it, melt the butter over medium-low heat until the milk solids separate and rise to the top, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool, then skim off the white foam and discard. Spoon the remaining clarified (clear) butter into a bowl; discard the solids left at the bottom of the pan.

QUICK 'N EASY STRUDEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F
• Unroll 1 can of crescent rolls. Press into bottom of greased 13x9-inch baking dish, without pressing seams together.
• Breat cream cheese, 12/4 cup of the sugar and 1 teaspoons of the vanilla in medium bowl until smooth. Spread over crescent rolls. Misx pie filling, 1 teaspoons cinnamon and remaining 2 teaspoons vanilla. Gently spread over cheese mixture.
• Unroll second can of crescent over fruit. Brush top with melted butter. Top with a mixture of remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, nuts and remaining 1 teaspoons cinnamon.
• Bake 30 minutes or until dough is golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes. Serve warm.
• SUBSTITUTION TIP: Substitute cherry pie filling with apple pie filling. Increase cinnamon used in fruit filling from 1 tsp to 2 teaspoons.

GERMAN STRUDELS

Steps:

• Combine yeast, salt, sugar, water, egg, and flour to make dough.
• Divide the dough into small balls.
• Let rest for a while.
• Roll balls to about 1/4 inch thick and spread with warm oil.
• Let the dough rest for a few minutes so the dough will stretch easily, then stretch the dough paper thin.
• Once the dough is stretched, roll it like you would for cinnamon rolls.
• Cut the dough (which is rolled up like a snake now) into 3 inch lengths.
• Coat roaster or heavy pan (you can also use and electric frying pan) with shortening or oil, put as many diced potatoes and onions as you like and season with salt and pepper.
• Add water to cover the potatoes and bring to a boil.
• Once water is boiling lay strudels on top of potatoes in two layers.
• Water should nearly cover strudels.
• COVER TIGHTLY-THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT OR RECIPE WILL NOT WORK!
• YOU CANNOT PEEK OR THE STRUDELS WILL "FALL"!
• Cook over low heat 30 to 35 minutes, or until you can hear a slight "frying" noise in the pan.
• Enjoy!

APPLE STRUDEL

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Heat 75g of the sugar and the vanilla seeds in a medium, heavy-based frying pan over a medium-low heat for 5-8 mins, or until golden brown and caramelised. Add the apples, currants, sultanas, allspice, nutmeg and walnuts, then cook for 10 mins or until the apple is tender. Remove the apple mix from the pan with a slotted spoon and cool to room temperature.
• Line two baking trays with baking paper. Place a sheet of filo on one of the trays, then brush lightly with the melted butter. Sprinkle over 1 tsp sugar. Repeat the process until there are 3 layers of filo. Repeat with the remaining sheets of filo on the second tray.
• Divide the apple mix along the shorter edge of both pastry sheets and gently roll into 2 logs, tucking in the ends as you go. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle over 1 tbsp sugar. Can be made up to one day ahead, kept chilled. Bake for 25 mins, or until the pastry is golden brown and crisp. Let cool slightly, then cut each strudel into 6 diagonal slices. Serve two slices each with a dollop of crème fraîche on the side.