Rhubarb Strudel Recipes

RHUBARB STRUDEL

Steps:

• Cover rhubarb with boiling water and let stand for 30 seconds, then drain thoroughly.
• Combine sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, walnuts, raisins and orange peel in a medium bowl.
• Add the rhubarb and stir just enough to mix all of the ingredients.
• Prepare 2 15" x 10" cookie sheets by brushing them liberally with melted, unsalted butter.
• Stack 10 of the phyllo sheets between 2 slightly damp tea towels.
• Remove 1 sheet, recovering the rest; place it on a prepared cookie sheet and brush with melted butter.
• Sprinkle 1 to 2 tablespoons of crushed gingersnaps evenly over the phyllo sheet.
• Top with a second phyllo sheet and repeat the process with the butter and gingersnaps.
• Repeat with 3 more sheets, brushing each with melted butter and sprinkling with crushed gingersnaps; 5 sheets make 1 strudel.
• Spread half of the rhubarb mixture in a 2" strip along the edge of one of the long sides of layered phyllo sheets.
• Roll up the pastry (all 5 layers) just enough to cover the rhubarb mixture.
• If the edge has dried out a bit, brush with a small amount of melted butter to make the pastry more flexible.
• To keep the filling in place, make a 1" fold along the top, bottom and remaining side of the pastry.
• Continue rolling up the strudel and arrange, seam side down, on a cookie sheet.
• Cover with a slightly damp cloth while making the second strudel.
• Repeat the entire process with the second strudel.
• Prick 4 holes along the top of each strudel.
• Bake the strudels in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until crisp and evenly brown.
• Transfer to a wire rack and cool.
• While the strudel is warm, not hot, sprinkle with icing sugar, or once strudel has cooled, drizzle your favourite vanilla icing over each roll.
• Serve warm or cold with whipped 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.

MARTIN'S RHUBARB STRUDEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°. Combine the first 4 ingredients; add 1/2 cup walnuts. Set aside., Place 1 sheet of phyllo dough on a work surface; lightly brush with butter. (Keep remaining phyllo covered with plastic wrap and a damp towel to prevent it from drying out.) Layer with 7 more sheets of phyllo, brushing each layer with butter., Spoon rhubarb mixture lengthwise over phyllo within 2 in. of a long side; fold in edges to cover filling. Roll up, starting from the long side. Place seam side down in a parchment-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Repeat with remaining phyllo, filling and butter, placing second strudel next to first. Brush both with melted butter and milk., Sprinkle with remaining walnuts; bake until golden, 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven; sprinkle with confectioner's sugar and serve warm. If desired, serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

RHUBARB STREUSEL PIE

Steps:

• Make the pâté brisée
• In a large bowl blend the flour, the butter, the vegetable shortening, and the salt until the mixture resembles meal. Add 2 tablespoons ice water, toss the mixture until the water is incorporated, adding more ice water if necessary to form a dough, and form the dough into a ball. Dust the dough with flour and chill it, wrapped in wax paper, for 1 hour.
• Roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick on a lightly floured surface, fit it into a 9-inch (1-quart) pie plate, and crimp the edge decoratively. Line the shell with foil, fill the foil with the rice, and bake the shell in the middle of a preheated 425°F. oven for 10 minutes. Remove the rice and foil carefully and bake the shell for 3 to 5 minutes more, or until it is pale golden.
• Make the filling:
• In a large bowl stir together the sugar, the tapioca, a pinch of salt, the vanilla, the rhubarb, and the butter until the mixture is combined well and let the filling stand, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
• Make the streusel topping:
• In a large bowl stir together the brown sugar, the flour, the butter, the cinnamon, the walnuts, and a pinch of salt and blend the mixture until it resembles coarse meal.
• Spoon the filling into the shell, sprinkle the streusel topping around the outer 2 inches of the filling, leaving the center exposed, and brush the edge of the shell with some of the egg wash. Bake the pie on a baking sheet in the lower third of a preheated 450°F. oven for 15 minutes, reduce the heat to 350°F., and bake the pie for 50 minutes to 1 hour more, or until the filling is bubbling and the rhubarb is tender. Brush the exposed (center) portion of the filling with the jelly and let the pie cool on a rack for 2 hours.