Prune Strudel

Strudel Dough

• Traditional strudel dough is made from scratch with water, flour and oil. You can also make phyllo dough or purchase it frozen and let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator. For a more substantial baked good, make thicker dough with 1 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup sour cream and 12 tbsp. cold butter mixed together by hand or in an electric mixer. Chill the dough while you prepare the filling.

Plain Prune Strudel

• Using phyllo or homemade strudel dough, place one dough sheet on a non-stick baking sheet lightly coated with oil, top it with another sheet and spray again. Fold the pastry sheets lengthwise, top it with 1 cup of chopped prunes and top with the final sheet of pastry scrunched into a decorative shape. Spray the topping with oil and bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Dust immediately with icing sugar and serve warm with yogurt, custard or whipped cream. For a deeper flavor, soak the prunes overnight in 2 tbsp. of brandy or cognac.

Prune Strudel with Dried Fruit

• If you prefer a mixture of fruit flavors and textures in strudel, use this Russian inspired recipe. You can use phyllo dough, strudel dough or the thicker pastry dough. Cover 1 cup chopped prunes with 1/2 cup prune juice and 3 tbsp. sugar and simmer for 3 minutes. Fit a food processor with the metal chopping blade and process the prunes, juice and 1 tsp. vanilla into a smooth paste. Combine the prune puree with 1 cup raisins, 1/2 cup dried cherries and 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans or walnuts. Refrigerate the fruit and nut mixture for about an hour to let it slightly thicken. Roll the chilled dough into a 16-by-16 inch square on a lightly floured surface. Spoon the filling along one edge of the dough and roll up jellyroll style, pinching the ends and seams to seal. Place seam-side down on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone liner and place the strudel on top. Brush the pastry with an egg wash made from an egg beaten with 2 tbsp. water and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes until golden brown. Cool before cutting and serving.

Strudel History

• Strudel has been made for hundreds of years and was mainly consumed by peasants until the mid 1400s when a Turkish bakery made the first apple strudel. Over the next several centuries, strudels were filled with many types of cooked, dried and fresh fruits, but apple remains the most commonly consumed strudel.