Autumn desserts often revolve around fruit that’s in season such as apples and pears mixed with the warming flavours of cinnamon and cloves. Adding a few cranberries for a hint of tartness and some nuts for crunch results in an autumn dessert that is inspired and delicious. Using frozen puff pastry keeps things simple.
Working with Puff Pastry
The key to working with frozen puff pastry for this recipe is to make sure it’s still cold when it's rolled out. Pastry that is too warm will tear and leak. Leave the frozen pastry on the counter to thaw at room temperature for about 45 minutes to one hour. The pastry can also be thawed overnight in the fridge. Work quickly to roll the dough out and place the filling inside. The filling can be made in advance and refrigerated until ready to use. Using a bit of egg to seal the pastry will keep it from leaking while baking.
Harvest Strudel
Makes about 8 servings
- 3 apples, such as Macintosh, peeled, cored and cut into a 1” dice
- 1 pear, cored and cut into a 1” dice
- ½ cup cranberries
- ¼ cup apple cider OR apple juice OR water
- 1/3 cup raisins
- 1/3 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (or a mix of both)
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- Pinch of salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon powered ginger
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1 Tablespoon flour
- ½ package frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon water
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large saucepan, combine apples, pear, cranberries and cider. Heat on medium-high until the cider is bubbling. Stir mixture around and cook until the fruit begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Stir in raisins and nuts.
- Add brown sugar, white sugar, salt and spices and mix until evenly distributed. Add the butter and stir into the fruit mixture until melted.
- Whisk flour into the fruit mixture, making sure it is smooth and not clumped together. Cook for another 2 minutes.
- Remove fruit mixture from heat and prepare puff pastry. The filling can be prepared in advance and kept in the fridge up to 24 hours.
- Roll out thawed puff pastry to a rectangle measuring about 12” X 9”. Spoon fruit mixture in a line along the centre of the pastry. Fold puff pastry up around the fruit.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water until smooth. Using a pastry brush or your fingers, brush egg along the seam where the pastry folds over. Press the dough gently together to form a seal. Repeat with the ends, crimping them in to seal the fruit tightly. Flip the strudel over so the seam is on the bottom, against the baking sheet.
- Cut 3 slashes in the top of the pastry so steam can be released during baking. Place strudel on a baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden.
- Let cool slightly before serving. Cut into slices and serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Trish Coleman - Trish grew up in a small town in New Brunswick, Canada and her family ate fresh home cooked meals every night. Her family grew most of ...
Join the Conversation