Festive Chocolate Cherry Strudel Recipes

CHOCOLATE CHERRY STRUDEL

Steps:

• Microwave: To prepare filling, combine first liquor, water and sugar in a medium bowl. Microwave at High 1 1/2 minutes or until sugar dissolves, stirring after 45 seconds. Stir in dried cherries and ginger, cover with plastic wrap and microwave an additional 3 minutes on HIGH. Let stand for 5 minutes to allow fruit to absorb the liquid. Spoon fruit mixture into bowl, cover and cool completely.
• Stovetop: In a small saucepan, combine liquor, water and sugar and heat until sugar crystals dissolve. Add dried cherries and ginger to the pan and cook until cherries absorb most of the liquid and plump (approximately 5-10 minutes with low heat). Spoon fruit mixture into bowl, cover and cool completely.
• Preheat oven to 350°F
• To assemble the strudel, 1/4 cup chips into the cherries.
• Place 1 phyllo sheet on work surface, covering remaining dough to keep from drying. Lightly coat with butter-flavored cooking spray. Working with 1 phyllo sheet at a time, repeat this process with the 7 remaining phyllo sheets with cooking spray, placing one on top of the other. Place a sheet of plastic wrap or waxed paper over phyllo, pressing gently to seal sheets together; discard plastic wrap.
• Spoon filling along 1 long edge of phyllo, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold over the short edges of phyllo to cover 2 inches of apricot mixture on each end. Starting at long edge with 2-inch border, roll up jelly-roll fashion. Do not roll tightly, or the strudel may split.
• Place strudel, seam side down, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Score 7 diagonal slits into top of strudel using a sharp knife. Lightly spray strudel with cooking spray.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until golden.
• Place 1/4 cup chips in a small heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag, and seal. Submerge bag in very hot water until chips melt. Snip a tiny hole in 1 corner of bag; drizzle chocolate over the baked strudel.

FESTIVE STRUDEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/ 350 degrees F/ Gas 4. Lay out 6 sheets of filo pastry on a clean tea towel, overlapping each by an inch or so, so they cover the tea towel.
• Cook's Note: The filo should cover the tea towel completely, with just a little overhang at one of the shorter ends.
• Work quickly so your pastry doesn't dry out and brush some melted butter all over it. Sprinkle over the cinnamon and 2 ounces/ 50 g of the sugar, then crumble over your ginger nuts to add a nice bit of crunch. Carefully layer the rest of the pastry sheets on top and brush again with butter.
• Use your hands to crumble the Christmas pudding into a bowl then grate in the fruit, cores and all. You want to have about the same amount of grated fruit as you've got pudding. Add about 2 tablespoons of sugar, and mix it all together to break up the pudding a bit more. Sprinkle this all over the pastry so it's roughly covered, leaving the overhang clear. Place the chocolate in a row on top of the Christmas pudding, down the short side nearest the overhang.
• Fold the overhang over the chocolate and pinch it up, then lift up your tea towel, and use it to help you carefully roll up your strudel. Tuck the ends under to seal it and transfer to a large nonstick pan. Brush it all over with butter then sprinkle over a little more sugar. Bake in the hot oven for about 40 minutes until crisp, golden and gorgeous looking. It might split a bit and look slightly rustic, but I think that's quite nice. Cook's Note: You could wrap an extra layer of filo round it before cooking if you want it to look a bit neater.
• Once the strudel is cooked, leave to cool, then use a serrated knife to cut the strudel into
• 2-inch/ 5 cm slices. Dust these with icing sugar and serve with ready-made custard from the refrigerator.

DRIED CHERRY-CHOCOLATE STRUDEL BARS

Steps:

• Using on/off turns, blend first 3 ingredients in processor until coarse meal forms. Add sour cream and process just until moist clumps form. Gather dough into ball; divide in half. Flatten each dough piece into thin rectangle. Wrap in plastic and chill until firm enough to roll, at least 30 minutes and up to 2 days.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out 1 dough piece on lightly floured surface to 14x12-inch rectangle. Leaving 1-inch plain border at 1 long side, spread with 3/4 cup cherry jam, then sprinkle with 1 cup almonds, 1/2 cup dried cherries and 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Starting opposite plain end, roll up dough jelly-roll style, enclosing filling. Push in ends to compress log to 12-inch length; seal ends. Transfer strudel, seam side down, to prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough and filling, spacing strudels evenly apart on baking sheet.
• Bake strudels until golden, about 1 hour 20 minutes. Slide spatula under hot strudels to loosen from sheet. Cool completely on sheet. Cut strudels crosswise into 3/4-inch-thick bars. (Store airtight at room temperature up to 3 days.)

CHERRY STRUDEL

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix cherries, vanilla, allspice, and cinnamon. Set aside.
• Unfold one pastry sheet and smooth out with wet fingertips. Brush top with 1/4 of melted margarine.
• Spread 1/2 of filling along a short side of pastry sheet. Slowly roll up from short side, jelly-roll style; fold ends under.
• Place strudel, seam side down, on non-stick baking sheet. Brush with 1/4 of melted margarine.
• Repeat using other pastry sheet, remaining cherry mixture, and margarine.
• Bake 15-20 minute at 400 degrees until golden.
• Set baking sheet on wire rack to cool 15 minute.
• Transfer strudels to serving platter to cut and serve.
• Sprinkle with powdered sugar.