Are you ready to try Mr. Handsome’s new favorite dessert? This cherry strudel recipe isn’t terribly difficult, although it’s best to work slowly, as there are a lot of steps. The hardest part is handling the filo dough (also called phyllo dough). If you aren’t familiar with filo, it can be found in the freezer section of the grocery store. Make sure you leave it on the counter until it reaches room temperature before unrolling it.
Cherry Strudel
Ingredients
Filling
- 2-1/2 cups frozen cherries, pitted
- 1 tsp water
- 3/8 cup granulated sugar
- 1-1/4 Tbsp cornstarch
Assembly
- 9 sheets filo, roughly 8-1/2 inches x 8-1/2 inches thawed to room temperature
- 1 stick butter, melted equal to 1/2 cup
- 6 tsp granulated sugar
- 6 Tbsp crumbled filo dough
Instructions
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In a medium saucepan, heat cherries and water, stirring constantly. As cherries thaw, mash them with a spoon. Add 3/8 cup granulated sugar, and continue to stir.
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Slowly add cornstarch, continuing to stir. Bring mixture to a light boil, and turn heat down to low. Stir until mixture thickens to the consistency of a thick jam.
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Remove from heat, and allow to cool in a heatproof bowl. You can place it in the fridge if you need to speed up the process.
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Unroll the filo dough. Place one sheet on a cutting board. Brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar. Place another sheet directly on top, and repeat the process until you have three layers of dough, butter, and sugar.
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Evenly place 2 Tablespoons of crumbled filo dough on the bottom 1/3 of the top layer of filo dough, leaving one inch around the bottom and sides free. Cover crumbled filo dough with ¼ cup cherry filling.
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Fold bottom and sides in so the filling does not escape.
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Gently fold strudel over twice so resulting pastry is roughly 6 inches x 2 inches.
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Repeat the process to make a total of 3 strudel. Place on buttered cookie sheet. Brush the tops of each strudel with melted butter, and sprinkle each with ½ teaspoon sugar.
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Use a sharp knife to cut 4, 1-inch slits in the top of each strudel, evenly spaced out. The slits should go through to the filling but not into the dough below the filling.
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Bake at 400F on center oven rack for 15 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Strudel are best when served fresh, after being allowed to cool for 5-10 minutes.
Recipe Notes
Recipe adapted from Epicurious (Sour Cherry Strudels, 2002)
You can probably substitute dry bread crumbs for the crumbled phyllo dough, under the filling.
Have you ever tried making Danish pastry? Or choux pastry, the kind you make in a saucepan with hot liquid, flour, and eggs? That’s another thing to learn, now that you’ve become familiar with phyllo. It’s not difficult. Choux pastry used for cream puffs, with either sweet or savory fillings.
I haven’t, but that sounds delicious. You sound like a pastry pro. 🙂
Ellie
Thank You for this delicious recipe. Have a blessed Thanksgiving.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING
Joan,Marion and Marilyn
Thank you! Hope you ladies have a happy Thanksgiving, as well!
Ellie
Can this be made with canned cherry pie filling ?
It likely could be, but you want to make sure the pie filling is nice and thick. If it’s a little runny, you’ll want to thicken it on the stove, so it doesn’t run out of the strudel.
Ellie
Wouldn’t that be better with a little light glaze over the tops? Like a turnover has? Looks like this is just a different take and form of a turnover. And I love turnovers! Wonder if you could substitute cherry pie filling to make it faster to eliminate the cherry cooking step?
Glaze would be great. Or some powdered sugar. It likely could be made with cherry pie filling, but you want to make sure the pie filling is nice and thick. If it’s a little runny, you’ll want to thicken it on the stove, so it doesn’t run out of the strudel.
Ellie
Best Sour Cherry sturdel ever! Replaced the sugar with local honey for the filling. The rest of the recipe was perfect! Thank you for sharing the recipe! Yummy!!