Fine Cooking

Servings:six to eight.

The combination of pears and nuts in this crackly-crisp strudel make it the perfect finish to any menu.

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

Nutritional Sample Size based on eight servings
Calories (kcal) : 460
Fat Calories (kcal): 140
Fat (g): 15
Saturated Fat (g): 7
Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 1
Monounsaturated Fat (g): 6
Cholesterol (mg): 30
Sodium (mg): 50
Carbohydrates (g): 79
Fiber (g): 3
Protein (g): 3

Preparation

In a medium saucepan over high heat, combine the water and sugar and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the vanilla bean, lemon zest, and ginger. Reduce the heat to low and simmer the syrup for 10 minutes. Add the lemon juice and pears (and vanilla extract, if using). Cover and poach gently until the pears are soft, about 15 minutes. Refrigerate the pears in the liquid for at least 2 and up to 24 hours. Put the raisins in a small bowl, cover with the Cognac, and also let soak in the refrigerator for the same amount of time.
Heat the oven to 325°F. On a small baking sheet, toast the almonds until they’re golden brown in the center, about 12 minutes. Let cool, chop coarsely, and set aside.
Increase the heat to 400°F. Set the pears in a colander to drain (it’s okay to discard the syrup).
Put a clean, damp (but not wet) dishtowel on the counter and gently lay the phyllo sheets on top. Cover with a second damp towel (this will keep the pastry from drying out). Cover you workspace with a piece of parchment slightly larger than the phyllo sheets. Remove two phyllo sheets and lay them on top of the parchment with the longest side facing you. Brush generously with melted butter, and sprinkle with half the toasted, chopped almonds. Lay the other two phyllo sheets on top and repeat.
洒Amaretti屑或面包屑在band about 2 inches wide along the edge closest to you. Arrange the pears on top of the crumbs and sprinkle with the raisins.
Starting at the edge closest to you and using the parchment as an aid, gently roll up the strudel and set it on a parchment-lined baking sheet. With a serrated knife, score the top of the strudel at about 2-inch intervals. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 20 minutes. Lower temperature to 350°F and continue to bake until the pastry is a deep golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool and store at room temperature until ready to serve.
To serve, reheat in a 350°F oven until warm and then sprinkle with the confectioners’ sugar.

(3 ratings) Read Reviews

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Reviews (3 reviews)

judithlks| 12/08/2015

This dessert was wonderful! The flavors of the macerated pears and cognac soaked raisins coupled with the crispness of the phyllo made this the piece-de-resitance of the entire Mediterranean menu (thank you, Arlene Jacobs!)I used more of the phyllo sheets because I wanted to use all the pear slices. I have also found that using more of the sheets does not detract from the delicacy of the dish but does provide some much needed stability. Truly a winner!
sfb1977| 11/05/2014

I did not use the raisins but subbed some briefly soaked dried cherries for them. Also, I didn't poach the pears but simply cooked them with a little sugar and lemon juice to release the extra juices, then drained them and proceeded. Instead of using amaretti crumbs, I subbed crushed plain cheerios -- a super cheap and easy sub that I've used in many other strudels. I love the ground nuts between the pastry layers -- it adds a wonderful textural and taste element. It was a good jumping off point for me, and the technique and temperature/time instructions were just right.
Jaivo| 10/26/2008

Excellent. People were raving about this when they tasted it and wanted seconds. This is a very expensive dessert to make if the ingredients are not in your pantry. I purchased amaretti cookies from a liquor store but I could have used a grocery store substitute. Used regular vanilla instead of vanilla bean.

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