Blue Cheese And Pecan Strudel Recipes

DRIED PLUM AND CHEESE STRUDEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the cream cheese until soft and smooth. Add the egg and mix. Add 1/2 cup of the sugar, the vanilla, and cinnamon and mix. Add the cut up dried plums and mix just until incorporated. Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with no tip and a large opening at the end (or just set aside in a bowl).
• Transfer one sheet of phyllo to the prepared pan. Using a pastry brush, brush the phyllo with butter. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the remaining sugar and 1/3 of the ground walnuts. Repeat with the two remaining sheets of phyllo. Reserve the remaining melted butter and sugar.
• Turn the sheet pan so the wide part of phyllo is parallel to your body. Two inches in from the left-hand edge of the phyllo, working from top to bottom and leaving 2 inches bare at the top and bottom, pipe or spoon 2 lines of cream cheese mixture 3/4 inches thick.
• Starting at the edge, roll up the pastry to encase the cheese. Keep rolling to form a log. Move the log to the center of the sheet pan and tuck the ends under to keep the filling from oozing out. Brush the surface with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.
• Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool 10 to 15 minutes on the pan. Using a serrated knife, cut carefully into sections and serve warm, with whipped cream or ice cream.

BLUE CHEESE AND PECAN CRACKERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Using electric mixer, beat cheese, butter and pepper in medium bowl until just blended (some cheese should still be in separate pieces). Using rubber spatula, mix in flour, then chopped pecans. Form dough into 1-inch balls. Arrange rounds on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten to 2 1/2-inch rounds. Press pecan half onto each. Bake until golden on bottom and at edges, about 35 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool.

BLUE CHEESE-APPLE STRUDELS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the apples, lemon juice, thyme, nutmeg and pepper. Toss to coat. Add cheese and walnuts; set aside., Place one sheet of phyllo dough on a work surface. Brush with butter and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons bread crumbs. Layer with two more sheets of phyllo, brushing each sheet with butter and sprinkling with bread crumbs. Layer with another sheet of phyllo. (Keep remaining phyllo dough covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.), Spoon 1-1/2 cups apple mixture along the long end of phyllo to within 2 in. of edges. Fold long sides 2 in. over filling. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side. Repeat, making two more strudels., Transfer strudels to a parchment paper-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan. With a sharp knife, cut slits in the top of each strudel. Brush with remaining butter. Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

ROQUEFORT AND PEAR STRUDEL

Steps:

• For dough:
• Combine 2 cups flour, 3/4 cup warm water, oil, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in large bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed 3 minutes (dough will be sticky). Remove strudel dough from bowl and divide in half. Form each dough half into ball; wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate 1 dough ball overnight for strudel; freeze second dough ball for another use.
• For filling:
• Melt 1 1/2 teaspoons butter in heavy large skillet over high heat. Add pears and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Strain pear mixture, discarding juices, then transfer pears to rimmed baking sheet, spacing apart; cool completely. Transfer cooled pears to large bowl. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
• Add cheese, pecans, flour, and lemon juice to pears and toss gently to combine.
• Place 36x24-inch cotton cloth or clean cotton tablecloth on large work surface; secure all 4 corners to work surface with tape to keep in place. Dust cloth lightly with flour. Unwrap refrigerated strudel dough and place in center of prepared cloth; sprinkle lightly with flour. Using rolling pin, roll out dough as thinly as possible without tearing, dusting dough lightly with flour as needed to prevent sticking.
• Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Slide hands under center of dough and gently pull with palms (not fingers) toward edges, being careful not to tear dough and stretching to thin rectangle. Gently pull dough edges with floured fingertips to form 34x18-inch rectangle. Using sharp knife, trim edges to form 33x17-inch rectangle. Cut dough rectangle lengthwise in half, forming two 33x8 1/2-inch rectangles. Brush each dough rectangle lightly with melted butter, then sprinkle each evenly with 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon dried breadcrumbs. Starting 1 inch in from 1 short end of dough, spoon filling crosswise atop each dough rectangle in 1 1/2-inch-wide log, leaving 1-inch plain border on long sides of both rectangles. Starting at edge of cloth closest to filling and using cloth as aid, lift edge of cloth and start rolling up strudel dough (not cloth) over filling, enclosing filling completely and forming 2 strudels. Tuck in short ends of dough and pinch to seal. Transfer strudels to prepared baking sheet. Brush strudels all over with melted butter. Chill at least 1 hour and up to 6 hours.
• Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375°F. Bake strudels until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Cool strudels on baking sheet 30 minutes.
• Cut strudels crosswise into 1-inch-thick slices. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• Test-Kitchen Tip:
• Although only half of the strudel dough is used in this recipe, you'll need to make a full batch of the dough to achieve the best texture. The remaining dough half can be stored airtight in the freezer for up to one month.