Apple and Cherry Strudel Plus Friday Faves

My secret to an easy dessert? I start in my grocery store freezer for an Apple and Cherry Strudel that’s every bit as easy to pull together as a traditional homemade pie.

Hey, look at that. It’s November 1 and the entertaining season has officially begun!

But that doesn’t mean it has to be haaaarrrd. Easy entertaining should be just that, EASY, and our guests don’t need to be filled in on all of our little secrets. Us home cooks need to have a few tricks up our sleeves, right?

It seems like everyone does pie for holiday entertaining, but once in a while I want to buck the system and go left instead of right which means delivering a dessert strudel worthy of my German D.N.A.

Did I say dessert? Heck, in my book, this recipe works for breakfast too, and that’s the real sign of a great treat.

When Athens Fillo Dough asked me to create a recipe for them, I knew what had to be done. An Apple Strudel is tradition, but let’s add some boozed up cherries to tart if up a bit shall we?

Phyllo dough is light, flaky and the perfect envelope to deliver a dessert worthy of holiday entertaining or just a simple Sunday dinner. Why? Because it looks like so much more thanks to those golden layers of deliciousness. Phyllo is the secret I tell you.

My German grandparents would be proud, hop over to the recipe to find out why.

Get the Apple and Cherry Strudel recipe here.

Print

5 from 1 vote

Apple and Cherry Strudel

Ingredients

• ½ cup dried cherries
• 1-2 tablespoons Brandy
• 3 Granny Smith apples cored, peeled and thinly sliced
• Juice of 1 small lemon about 1 tablespoon
• ½ cup granulated sugar plus about 1 tablespoon
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ½ cup dry fine bread crumbs
• 10 sheets Athens® Fillo Dough 9” X 14”, thawed
• ½ cup butter melted (1 stick)
• Sliced almonds
• Coarse sugar

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, add the cherries and brandy and soak for about 30 minutes to an hour. Drain any of the remaining brandy and set aside.
• Add the sliced apples to a large bowl and coat with the lemon juice to avoid turning brown. In a smaller bowl, mix the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg until blended, reserve 1-2 tablespoons of the cinnamon sugar mixture and add the rest to the apples along with the cherries. Add the bread crumbs and gently stir to combine.
• Sprinkle a bit of the granulated sugar on a cutting board then remove one sheet of phyllo from the package and lay on the sugar. Cover the rest with a towel to avoid drying out. Lightly brush the edges of the sheet of phyllo with butter, working toward the center. Sprinkle some of the cinnamon sugar on top then top with two more phyllo sheets. Add another phyllo sheet and spread with butter, then cinnamon sugar and top with one more phyllo sheet, making a total of five sheets.
• Layer half of the apple mixture on the phyllo dough, leaving a ½ inch border. Using two knives or cake turners to help flip, gently roll the phyllo and mixture ending with the seam down and tuck in the edges. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, brush with butter and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
• Create another roll with the remaining 5 phyllo sheets and apple mixture.
• Dip almond slices in remaining butter, and sprinkle on top the strudel rolls.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 10-15 minutes. For best slicing wait until completely cooled and use a serrated knife.

Dessert always comes first, so now let’s play Friday Favorites, okay?

I’m totally coveting the handcrafted look of this dinnerware set that could easily go from breakfast table to elegant entertaining. Bonus, it’s on sale.

Some bloggers’ pets are as much a part of posts as the crafts they create and food the make. This calendar featuring some of your favorite bloggers’ four legged furballs raises money for more pets in need. Get it.

You can always change your path. Just don’t get off the bus.

Say it isn’t so. Sriracha could be going away?

Yep, this was us for yesterday’s Halloween parties. A boozey clown, a geisha girl and 3 hippie babies (I don’t know why, but that’s what they wanted to be) and our favorite scary decoration, Bob. What were you?

I’m kinda picky about my type. Here are 10 free fonts that aren’t stupid.

And these are some of my favorite fonts, in an app + tutorial for type on iphone snaps.

You know those yoga pants all the mom’s wear instead of getting dressed for the day? I’m saving mine for the gym and making these comfy slims my new daily uniform.

Who has a Halloween treat hangover? I’m raising my hand. But Halloween always means doughnuts in my memory bang thanks to those years of elementary school parties. Apparently these guys felt the same and continued the tradition with some amazing recipes this week like:

Jessica’s Sweet Potato Pecan Pie Doughnuts are baked instead of fried and sneak in a healthy veggie.

Mixing a favorite Greek treat with a cakey hole makes me nuts for Erin’s Baklava Doughnuts.

Poppyseed muffins are my go-to, so discovering Melissa’s Gluten Free Lemon Poppy Seed Doughnuts got my motor running.

Kiran, you made my husband’s day with your Pumpkin Beer Doughnuts. So beautifully spooky too.

Apple Cinnamon Baked Doughnuts with Brown Butter Glaze. Thank you Joy. Baked doughnuts, it’s such a “thing.” I need to get on that train.

These might be the cutest cookie cutters ever.

Okay I totally need this app that lets you create a list of daily goals and tracks your accomplishments as you go.

What a fun idea! How to move your favorite Instagrams off your phone to where you’ll see them three square times a day.

I feel so girly! I bought a pair of these when I was in Kohler, WI at a cute little boutique and I haven’t quit wearing them since.

Oh poochers! I love this site because it’s all about dogs. Belly scratches.

And that’s it! Have a great weekend and cook something good.

Thanks for supporting companies I partner with, like Athens Fillo Dough who paid me for recipe development, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. As always, all opinions are my own. 

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