Traditional Fall Dessert...

For the weekend, I made a popular dessert that takes its name from the flaky pastry used to wrap around it’s filling ~ Strudel ~ a loaned word in English from the German word Strudel, which literally means "whirlpool." I have always looked upon it as a traditional fall dessert; when the apples are ripe and ready to be picked from their branches. I am luckily to have a neighbor with a small apple orchard with some wonderfully sweet Royal Gala baking apples. Strudel is best served the same day it is baked, especially if you plan to serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.


Apple Strudel

Ingredients:
1¼ cups apple juice
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1½ pound Royal Gala apples
~ peel, core & sliced ¼ inch thick
½ cup dark seedless raisins
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅓ cup chopped pecans
4 sheets phyllo dough
⅓ cup melted butter
3 tablespoons fine dry breadcrumbs
Confectioners' sugar, for garnish
Vanilla ice cream, for garnish

In a small bowl, create a slurry by combining ¼ cup of the apple juice with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch; mix until smooth and set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook the apples with the remaining apple juice, and the raisins, sugar and cinnamon until the apples are tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir the cornstarch slurry (it may have settled) and add to the apple mixture, stirring constantly until smooth and lump free. Simmer 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and cool. Stir in the pecans, cover and chill.

Preheat the over to 450 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Lay out one phyllo sheet on a clean, flat, lightly floured surface. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of dry bread crumbs. Repeat this procedure with two more layers of phyllo, butter and crumbs. Top with the fourth sheet of phyllo. Spread the apple filling evenly onto phyllo surface, leaving a ½ inch clean edge on all sides. Roll into a log, folding edges at each end beneath the log, and brush with melted butter. Carefully place the strudel on the prepared baking sheet, seam side down. Bake the strudel for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes before cutting into 2-inch slices and sprinkling with confectioners' sugar just before serving.

Serve plain or with ice cream.