Fig Pear Strudels Recipes

PEAR STRUDEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, combine the pie crust mix and 1/3 cup cold apple cider until it forms a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill one hour in the refrigerator.
• Peel and core the pear and chop into approximately 1/2 inch pieces, (reserve 1 cup for Round 2 Recipe Cabbage and Pear Slaw, toss with a splash of lemon juice to prevent browning)
• In a large skillet over medium heat, add the butter, brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice. When it is melted, add the pears. Cook until the pears are slightly softened and the liquid thickens, about 5 to 6 minutes. Let cool.
• On a floured surface or on parchment paper, roll out the chilled dough into a 12-inch-by-10-inch rectangle. Spread the cooled pear mixture in the middle of the rectangle, fold in the short ends, and roll the crust over enclosing the pear mixture. Place the strudel, seam side down, onto a baking sheet.
• In a small bowl beat the egg with a tablespoon of water. In another small bowl mix together the remaining 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and sugar. Brush the strudel with the egg wash and sprinkle with half the spiced sugar. Make five small slits on top to let the steam escape. Bake until golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for 30 minutes.
• When you are ready to serve, whip the cream with the remaining pumpkin pie spice and sugar mixture. Serve the strudel topped with whipped cream.

PEAR AND FIG STRUDELS WITH GINGER CREAM

Steps:

• For filling:
• Preheat oven to 450°F. Generously butter large baking sheet. Place figs and pear pieces in single layer on prepared sheet. Sprinkle with sugar. Roast until tender and beginning to brown around edges, about 20 minutes. Transfer fruit and any juices from sheet to medium bowl. Cool. Stir in cranberry-raspberry concentrate and lemon. Chill until cold.
• For strudels:
• Butter another large baking sheet. Mix breadcrumbs, 3 tablespoons sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in small bowl. Place kitchen towel on work surface. Place 1 phyllo sheet atop towel with short end toward edge of work surface (cover remaining phyllo with plastic wrap, then damp kitchen towel). Brush phyllo sheet with some melted butter; sprinkle with 1/8 of breadcrumb mixture. Top with second phyllo sheet. Brush with some melted butter; sprinkle with 1/8 of breadcrumb mixture. Repeat with 2 more phyllo sheets, brushing each with melted butter and sprinkling each with 1/8 of breadcrumb mixture. Top with fifth phyllo sheet; brush with some melted butter (do not sprinkle with breadcrumb mixture).
• Using slotted spoon, place half of fig mixture along 1 short side of phyllo stack; spread in 3-inch-wide strip, leaving 1-inch plain border on long sides. Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon sugar and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon over fig mixture. Fold long sides of phyllo in over filling; brush folded sides with melted butter. Starting at filled short side, roll up phyllo, enclosing filling completely. Brush all over with melted butter. Place strudel, seam side down, on baking sheet. Repeat assembly process to make second strudel. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap; chill.)
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375°F. Brush strudels lightly with melted butter. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.) Using serrated knife, cut each strudel on diagonal into 4 pieces; discard ends. Place 1 piece on each of 8 plates. Dollop Ginger Cream alongside. Serve warm or at room temperature.

CARAMELIZED PEAR STRUDEL

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine sugar and cornstarch. Add pears and cranberries; toss gently to coat. In a large nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add fruit mixture; cook and stir for 7-8 minutes or until cranberries pop. Stir in dried cranberries, ginger, orange zest and cinnamon. Cool., Preheat oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with foil and coat the foil with cooking spray; set aside. Place one sheet of phyllo dough on a work surface; coat with cooking spray. Repeat layers five times. (Keep phyllo dough covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel until ready to use each sheet.), Spread cranberry mixture over dough to within 1 in. of edges. Fold in sides. Roll up, starting at a long side. Place seam side down on prepared baking sheet., Bake 20-23 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

OLD FASHIONED PEAR STRUDEL

Steps:

• Combine all dough ingredients in a large bowl. You can either stir by hand or use a Kitchenaid Mixer with a dough hook. Thoroughly combine. This dough will be sticky. If it is too sticky add a little more flour and stir. Once the dough is right, cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Pears must be prepared right before you plan to assemble the strudels. Take the dough out of the refrigerator before you begin the pears. Peel and core the pears. You can soak them in water with lemon juice to keep them from browning too much until you shred them. Using a food processor with the shredder blade in it, shred all the pears. Put shredded pears in a strainer and get as much juice out as you can. (You can reserve the juice for other recipes, if desired).
• Put everything in separate bowls in the area you will be working. Also, have a bowl of flour available as you will need it when rolling out the dough. Using a knife, cut the dough in the bowl into 8 wedges, as you would a pie.
• Flour your work area, your hands, and your rolling pin. Form your dough wedge into a ball. Dough will be sticky so add flour as needed. Roll dough out into as round of a shape as you can, about 1/8 of an inch thick.
• Brush on melted butter leaving an inch border. Sprinkle with vanilla wafer crumbs, then sprinkle coconut, nuts, and raisens, Sprinkle on a layer of pears. Sprinkle pears with cinnamon and sugar. All ingredients should be in thin layers and an inch border should be left bare. If you add too much, you can tear your dough or it can break open while baking.
• Fold the inch of bear dough over the topping all the way around. Starting at one end, roll the dough up leaving the seam side down. Tuck the ends under so the filling does not come out. Cover a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Repeat 7 more times. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.
• I bake 2 at a time. When they are done, brush them with melted margarine and sprinkle the top with sugar.
• You can also bake them partially, about 30 minutes, let them cool, wrap them in foil, and freeze them. If freezing them, only brush top with margarine, do not sprinkle with sugar. 8 strudels are a lot to eat at one time, so I always freeze some for later. When you want to eat them, let it thaw completely and bake for about 20 minutes at 350, until golden brown. Brush with margarine and sprinkle with sugar.

PEAR MUSHROOM STRUDELS

Steps:

• In a large skillet, cook mushrooms and onion in 2 tablespoons butter until tender. Stir in pears; cook 3 minutes longer. Remove from the heat; stir in the Gruyere, almonds, mustard, salt and pepper. Cool to room temperature., Melt remaining butter. Place 1 sheet of phyllo dough on a work surface; brush evenly with butter. Sprinkle with 1-1/2 teaspoons Parmesan cheese. Layer with 4 more sheets of phyllo, brushing each sheet with butter and sprinkling with cheese. (Keep remaining phyllo dough covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.), Spread half the pear mixture in a 2-in.-wide strip along a short side of dough. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with the pear side; pinch seams to seal. Brush with butter. Transfer to a parchment-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan. , Repeat with remaining phyllo, butter, Parmesan cheese and pear mixture., Bake at 375° for 16-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes. Cut each strudel into 12 slices.