PEAR STRUDEL

PEAR STRUDEL image

Yield 6-8 people

Number Of Ingredients 14

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Ingredients

2 cups water
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, cut in half lengthwise and seeded (with a paring knife); reserve the seeds for another use (or 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract)
2 strips lemon zest
4 slices fresh ginger, each about 1/8 inch thick
Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 Tbs.)
4 ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, cored, and sliced lengthwise into 8 pieces each
1/3 cup golden raisins
2 Tbs. Cognac
1/3 cup whole, skin-on almonds
4 sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup coarsely crushed amaretti cookies, or stale breadcrumbs
Confectioners' sugar for sprinkling

Steps:

In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring water & sugar to a boil. Add the vanilla bean, lemon zest, & ginger. Reduce the heat & simmer the syrup for 10 minutes. Add lemon juice, pears, & vanilla extract/seeds. Cover & poach gently until the pears are soft, ~ 15 min. Regrigerate the pears in the liquid for at least 2 & up to 24 hours. Put the raisins in a small bowl, cover with Cognac, & also let soak in the refrigerator for the same amount of time. Heat oven to 325°F. Toast the almonds until they're golden brown in the center, ~ 12 minutes. Let cool, chop coarsely, & set aside. Increase heat to 400°F. Set the pears in a colander to drain (it's ok to discard syrup). Put a clean, damp dishtowel on the counter & gently lay the phyllo sheets on top. Cover with a second damp towel (to keep the pastry from drying out). Cover your workspace with a piece of parchment slightly larger than the phyllo sheets. Remove two phyllo sheets & lay them on top of the parchment with the longest side facing you. Brush generously with melted butter, & sprinkle with half the toasted, chopped almonds. Lay the other two phyllo sheets on top & repeat. Sprinkle the Amaretti or breadcrumbs in a band about 2 inches wide along the edge closest to you. Arrange the pears on top of the crumbs & sprinkle with the raisins. Starting at the edge closest to you & using the parchment as an aid, gently roll up the strudel & set it on a parchment-lined baking sheet. With a serrated knife, score the top of the strudel at ~ 2-inch intervals. Bake on middle rack of oven for 20 minutes. Lower temperature to 350°F & continue to bake until the pastry is a deep golden brown, 10-15 minutes. Let cool & store at room temp until ready to serve. To serve, reheat in a 350°F oven until warm & then sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

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